Third defendant in 2017 Picantes Restaurant robbery found guilty
A 29-year-old man faces up to life in prison after he was convicted by a jury for his role in the armed robbery of a Central Lubbock restaurant four years ago.
Jurors in the 364th District Court deliberated for two and 1/2 hours before returning with their verdict finding 29-year-old Phillip Velazquez guilty as charged of aggravated robbery for his role in the Jan. 27, 2017, armed robbery at Picantes restaurant in the 3800 block of 34th Street.
Velazquez is the final defendant to be convicted in the robbery. His brother, Joseph Gonzalez, was sentenced in 2019 to 60 years in prison for his role in the robbery. Damian Villarreal, who testified against Gonzalez, pleaded guilty in September in exchange for a 30-year prison sentence.
As is the case with most homicides in our community, she said.
Gorman told jurors they hoped to show that Anderson and Gregory Lamar Thomas met with Cabello at Anderson s aunt s home in the 2000 block of Cedar Avenue to buy drugs from Cabello.
Instead, inside the home, Anderson and Thomas robbed Cabello at gunpoint, taking his money, the drugs, his jacket and shoes. Not only did they take his stuff, his drugs, but they humiliated him, she said. Nobody s going to try and convince you that Greg and Joby made the right decisions that day.
The two drove away in a green F-150 pickup truck with Cabello running behind them, firing multiple shots and hitting Anderson four times. Two of the bullets struck Anderson in the back of the head and he also suffered a gunshot wound in his back, Gorman said.