In a lightning-fast verdict that sent shockwaves through the courtroom, a Clay County jury took less than two hours Thursday to convict Joshua Rocha, the cold-blooded killer who gunned down North Kansas City police officer Daniel Vasquez during a routine traffic stop.
The panel didn’t blink. Rocha, 25, now stands guilty of first-degree murder, a charge that carries the possibility of life behind bars without parole.
Officer Vasquez, 32, was remembered as a dedicated cop, a loving husband, and a father whose life was stolen in a flash of senseless violence. Rocha’s ambush left the Northland community reeling — and left a young family shattered.
Courtroom witnesses said Rocha sat stone-faced as the guilty verdict was read. Across the aisle, Vasquez’s family wept, clutching each other as they finally saw justice delivered.
“This was never a close call,” one law enforcement official said after the verdict. “Rocha executed an officer who was simply doing his job. The jury saw through every excuse.”
The killing sparked outrage across the metro, with memorials, vigils, and thousands of mourners lining the streets to honor Officer Vasquez. North Kansas City has vowed never to forget his sacrifice.
Rocha’s sentencing is set for later this year. Prosecutors have already signaled they will seek the harshest punishment possible.
As Vasquez’s widow left the courthouse Thursday evening, she carried with her both the unbearable weight of loss — and the small comfort of knowing her husband’s killer will never walk free again.
Comments