Houston Father Sentenced to Life in Prison for Molesting and Killing 8-Month-Old

A Houston father was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Thursday after being convicted of capital murder for sexually molesting and killing his 8-month-old daughter in 2020, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This baby couldn’t walk or talk, and she should have been with someone who kept her safe, but instead he abused that trust,” Ogg said. “Children are the most vulnerable victims in our community, and the people who hurt them often try to escape accountability — that is why we have specialized prosecutors working in the Child Fatality Section.”

Luis Luna, 27, was convicted in a 10-day trial of killing 8-month-old Savayah Mason on Aug. 24, 2020. He was automatically sentenced to life in prison without parole. Harris County sheriff’s deputies and other first responders were called to Luna’s apartment in the Alief area that day because of reports that the infant had stopped breathing.

Emergency medical personnel worked to help the baby, but she was not responsive. She was transported to the hospital by ambulance and pronounced dead. An autopsy later showed evidence that she died of suffocation. There were marks on her neck and ligature marks that showed she had been bound. There was also evidence that she had been sexually assaulted.

Assistant District Attorney Edward A. Appelbaum, who is a chief in the Child Fatality Section of the DA’s Office, prosecuted the case with ADA Sara Delgado.

“What this defendant did was one of the most horrific acts of violence imaginable — it’s the worst kind of evil in the world,” Appelbaum said. “We are grateful to the jury for listening to all of the evidence and handing down a just verdict because the facts in the case are so brutal that no one wants to believe that it’s real.”

Luna will never be eligible for parole and will never be released from prison.