SAN ANTONIO – Giovanni Paschal — who pleaded guilty in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend — was sentenced Friday to 50 years in prison, bringing some level of closure to the victim’s grieving family.
The courtroom was filled with emotional outbursts as Deanna Mason’s family expressed their anger and heartbreak over her death.
Paschal was arrested three days after the Aug. 12, 2023, incident.
Surveillance footage showed Mason, 34, exiting her car outside a Valero gas station on West Hildebrand Avenue, followed by Paschal.
According to Paschal’s arrest affidavit, he shot Mason in the head before driving away.
During the hearing, Judge Velia Meza imposed the maximum sentence allowed under a plea agreement, which capped Paschal’s prison term at 50 years.
Family members of Mason, visibly emotional, stood up and faced Paschal, sharing powerful victim impact statements.
“Deanna didn’t deserve to be taken away from us like this,” one family member said. “Only a coward does this, especially when her back was (sic) turned. She never saw it coming.”
Others questioned why Paschal committed the crime.
“Why did you kill Deanna, my baby sister? Why?” Mason’s sister asked through tears.
Paschal, through his attorney, offered an apology to the family.
Paschal will be transferred to a state prison with the possibility of parole after serving half of his sentence.
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