A Dallas County judge has declared a mistrial in the capital murder case involving a Venezuelan gang after the jury said they were deadlocked in their decision.

Monday, the jury told the judge for a second and final time that they could not come up with a unanimous decision in the case of Carlos Zambrano Bolivar.

“Let the record reflect that the jury has been deliberating three full days on the matter. That being the case, the court will declare a mistrial in this case,” Hon. Ernest White said.

This is the first case involving Tren de Aragua to be prosecuted by the Dallas County DA’s office. Early Friday afternoon, the jury told the judge they were deadlocked in their decision, and the judge told them to go back to deliberate and try to come to a unanimous decision.

Farmer’s Branch Police say Bolivar is one of four suspects responsible for kidnapping Nilzuhly Petit, his daughter and nephew from a Dallas apartment complex in August 2024 after Petit, a TdA member, failed to turn over cash to members of the group as part of a complex, nationwide ATM theft operation. Detectives say Petit was later shot and killed in Farmers Branch, his body left in the roadway off Valley View Lane.

In closing arguments a week ago, prosecutors told jurors Bolivar played a major role in the murder and kidnapping, including remaining on the phone with a TdA boss, but Bolivar’s defense claims he was a victim of sex trafficking by TdA, under duress and feared for his life and the life of his family.

Before the trial started, Bolivar was initially offered a plea deal of 50 years behind bars, but he did not accept that. The case will likely be tried later on this year

“The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict as to whether Carlos was acting by free choice or whether fear took that choice away. When there is that type of doubt, the law says the state has not met its burden. We thank the jury for their time and efforts over the last three weeks, listening to this case, listening to this evidence and we look forward to telling Carlos’ full story again,” Sean Daredia, Attorney for Bolivar, said.

A new jury will be named, and the case is expected to be retried later this year.