Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis announced that a jury has sentenced Pablo Berrios, 53, of McKinney, to life in prison for the murder of a friend in New Hope. The conviction follows a guilty plea to first-degree murder.
The incident occurred on September 27, 2025, when deputies responded to a disturbance near Drift Drive. They discovered the victim with severe head injuries and pronounced him dead at the scene. Berrios was located outside the home with blood on his person. The victim’s wife, who witnessed the assault, identified Berrios as the attacker.
During an interview with Investigator Ramiro Acosta, Berrios admitted that a minor argument led him to grab a pipe and strike the victim repeatedly. He told investigators he paused the assault to smoke a cigarette before resuming the beating. Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Alex Oestreich and Claire Kirk prosecuted the case, assisted by Investigator Joshua Duncan and Victim’s Assistance Coordinator Jill Moore.