Former Houston officer convicted of murder in deaths of couple during drug raid

HOUSTON (AP) — A former Houston police officer has been convicted of murder in the 2019 deaths of a couple during a drug raid at their home.

A jury on Wednesday found Gerald Goines guilty of two counts of murder in the January 2019 deaths of Dennis Tuttle and his wife Rhogena Nicholas. An investigation after the raid revealed systemic corruption problems within the police department’s narcotics unit.

During the trial, prosecutors said Goines lied and fabricated a confidential informant in order to get a search warrant for the couple’s home that falsely portrayed them as dangerous drug dealers. Goines’ lawyers admitted the ex-officer lied to get the search warrant but said his actions did not merit a murder conviction.