Just shy of a year since the brutal stabbing and beating of 21-year-old college student Derek Madrigal on South Padre Island, one of his attackers was sentenced for his role.
Once on the Texas most wanted list and alleged Mexican Mafia gang member, Felix Velasquez, Jr., plead no contest to charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and engaging in organized criminal activity. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
"The best thing is for him is to be off the streets," Derek Madrigal said. "For everyone, whether in San Antonio or if he goes back to (South Padre Island) again."
Madrigal was stabbed nine times and barely survived the vicious attack.
He said given Velasquez’s appearance on the "Most Wanted" list, he expected a tougher punishment.
After all, he said, Velasquez will only have to serve three years behind bars, but Madrigal said the damage done to him and his family may never go away.
He said he has back pain, still can’t move his thumb on his right hand and even his memory has been affected.
"It's kind of hard to stay confident and motivated now with all the stuff that's happened to me,” Madrigal said. “When I went to Padre, I was motivated, I wanted to do a lot of stuff and had a lot of plans for me. (The stabbing) kind of slowed them down."
Derek's father, Frank, added he was hoping Velasquez would get at least five years in prison, for nearly killing his son.
But he's hoping the Mexican Mafia gang member's extensive criminal history will keep him in jail longer than three years.
"We're glad he got sentenced, we're glad that he's in custody, but it just seems like it's not enough of a sentence,” Frank Madrigal said.
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