LIBERTY, Mo. — A man convicted in the 2022 murder of North Kansas City Police Ofc. Daniel Vasquez has been sentenced to death.
Last month, jurors found Joshua Rocha guilty of first-degree murder in Vasquez’s death.
Later, the jurors, comprised of citizens from St. Charles County, Missouri, recommended Rocha be sentenced to death.
On Monday, a Clay County Circuit Court judge sided with the jurors' recommendation and formally sentenced Rocha to death.
KSHB 41 News anchor Caitlin Knute was in the packed courtroom Monday afternoon when the judge handed down the death sentence.
Rocha read a letter during the hearing in which he said he didn't blame anyone but himself and accepted full responsibility. He said he hoped the officer's friends and family would feel that justice had been served.
LINK | Learn more about fallen NKC police officer Daniel Vasquez
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
