LAREDO, Texas (Court TV) — Erica Torres testified that her ex-husband, Billy Delgado, shot her multiple times on June 1, 2024, leaving her with devastating injuries that required more than 20 surgeries and a year-long hospital stay.
Erica Torres testified against her ex-husband, Billy Delgado, on July 29, 2025. (Court TV)
Torres told the court she was approaching Delgado’s apartment complex when he fired three shots through her windshield, striking her in the abdomen.
“I realized I got shot because I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I felt like something was tying around my waist so tight,” Torres said.
Despite being critically wounded, Torres managed to drive toward a hospital before losing consciousness. She crashed her vehicle and was hospitalized for 363 days.
“I was in excruciating pain. I kept passing out. I just did not want to die,” Torres said.
Torres testified that she and Delgado had a troubled relationship marked by frequent arguments and physical confrontations. She described incidents where Delgado would pull her hair, grab her arms, or shove her when she tried to leave their home during disputes.
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“It was an unhealthy relationship. We had our arguments, and sometimes they would escalate,” Torres said.
The jury viewed a video recording of an intense argument between Torres and Delgado that occurred in a car while their daughter was present. Torres explained they were arguing because Delgado had insisted on driving her to a court appearance but then threatened to turn around, which would have resulted in her arrest for failing to appear.
Torres testified that Delgado was controlling and jealous during their relationship, which prevented her from maintaining employment.
“I was never able to keep a job for more than two to three months, because he’d be constantly calling the offices or just show up randomly just to see what I was doing,” Torres said.
Torres also recounted a threatening incident that occurred on her birthday, May 19, shortly before the shooting.
“He told me to enjoy my smiles and laughs, because it was gonna be my last birthday,” Torres said.
The shooting has left Torres with permanent, life-altering injuries. She showed the court photos of her current condition, which includes significant scarring and ongoing medical issues. Torres testified she must wear a girdle due to lack of abdominal muscle, cannot lift more than 10 pounds, and continues to experience leakage from wounds.
“I have no confidence at all,” Torres said, describing how she currently feels.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Oscar Vega questioned Torres about previous incidents where she had been arrested, including for an assault involving Delgado and her brother, and for driving under the influence with her daughter in the vehicle.
Torres acknowledged these incidents but maintained that her physical confrontations with Delgado were acts of self-defense. She also testified that she is currently unable to work due to her injuries and suffers from PTSD.
This story was reported by John Cowley IV and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
