A jury on May 20 convicted the former Marine of capital murder in the 2009 deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Rachel Joiner, and her brother, Travis Joiner. Both were gunned down at the home they shared in College Station.
Shirley Joiner's voice shook as she described her anguish upon learning of the killings and how "you just always want to be there to protect your children."
Thuesen, who shed tears during the woman's testimony, has been portrayed by the defense as an Iraq war veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress.
