Man Convicted Of Killing Tulsa Teen In Highway Robbery Attempt

Jurors convicted Travis Lozada Friday afternoon of first-degree murder.

He's one of three men accused of killing a 14-year-old girl on a Tulsa highway almost three years ago.

The jury recommended life without parole for Lozada.

The jury deliberated about two-and-a-half hours before reaching its verdict.

The defense attorney told the jury Friday afternoon that he didn't expect the jury to say Lozada is not guilty. Instead, the defense asked the jury to recommend Lozada serve a life sentence.

April Montano was in her father's pickup truck when she was shot in killed in May 2014. She and her family were headed home from an evening riding four-wheelers to celebrate Montano's eighth-grade graduation.

Prosecutors say Lozada, David Ruble and Demonte Rushing saw the truck hauling the four-wheelers and decided to try to rob the family so they could sell the ATVs.

A jury convicted Ruble of Montano's murder in September.

1/25/2017 Related Story: Trial Begins For Man Charged With Killing 14-Year-Old Tulsa Girl

Rushing hasn't gone to trial yet, but took the stand this week and testified it was Lozada's idea to rob the family and shoot out their tires.

Rushing testified Ruble fired at least two shots but said he doesn't know who fired the other shots.

Friday, the defense did not call any witnesses and only cross-examined a few of the state's witnesses.

The defense asked the jury to consider that after the shooting, Lozada helped police with the case by letting them know who all was involved and where to find the gun.

But the state argued Lozada first lied to officers and only offered information when he felt backed into a corner.

A witness testified Friday morning that Lozada bragged about the murder several months later and said, 'I don't need to prove myself...I proved myself when I took that girl's life on the Tisdale.'”

9/6/2016 Related Story: Tulsa Man Sentenced To Life In Death Of 14-Year-Old Girl

The defense says the trial is about who fired the shots, which the defense believes was Ruble and was given the proper sentencing