13 October 2025 :
October 8, 2025 - Missouri. Joshua Rocha sentenced to death
A Clay County jury on October 8 recommended Joshua Rocha, 28, be sentenced to death.
Rocha admitted that he killed North Kansas City Police Officer Daniel Vasquez, 32, during a routine traffic stop in July 2022. Rocha, whose car held several weapons, was driving to a gun store.
Formal sentencing by a judge is at 1 p.m. Nov. 24.
Because of heavy pretrial publicity, a jury was selected from a pool of St. Charles County, Missouri, residents. It took the panel just two hours to convict Rocha on first-degree murder last Thursday.
During the trial, jurors were shown dashcam video that revealed Rocha shooting Vasquez in the face even before the officer arrived at Rocha’s driver’s side door. Video showed Rocha then getting out of his car to shoot Vasquez two more times.
Rocha, who surrendered a few hours after the shooting, told police that he was homeless and feared losing his car. Later, family and others testified that Rocha saw his father, a gang member, be arrested, as well as the death of some siblings.
