EL PASO, Texas -- Sighs and gasps. Those were the sounds in the courtroom Tuesday when the jury handed Eddie Murillo a sentence of seven years in prison. His wife burst into tears after a jury convicted her husband of felony murder.

"We're disappointed. “We can't understand why, if the guy that killed her is really out there free," said Vanessa Robles, Murillo’s wife.

The case was tried in the 120th District Court in front of Judge Martha Salas Mendoza.

Prosecutors said Murillo fired a shot in the crowd on July 6, 2008, at a party. They said that shot caused panic. In the chaos, 17-year-old Brenda Brito hid by a car for safety. But the guy driving the car, whom prosecutors identified as David Rocha, ran over her. Because Murillo fired the gun, causing the chaos, prosecutors said her death is his fault. Brito's family is content with the verdict.

"We're glad that it happened, we wish more could have been done for the people involved," said Elisa Esparza, Brito’s mother.

During the sentencing part of the trial, family and friends of Murillo and Brito took the stand. The prosecution showed pictures of Brito as her friends and family wept and described her as a loving person who always had a smile her on her face and planned to attend college. On the stand her mom said, "I just want to wake up and find her home."

"We're just kind of sad that we're not going to be able to see my daughter again," said Esparza.

And on Murillo's behalf, his wife and others took the stand crying and shaking they described him as a great father of three. His wife says he quit the gang after she was pregnant with the couple's first child.

Murillo himself wiped a tear from his eye as his wife cried and when he saw a picture of Brito. One of Murillo's witnesses, Jesus Robles, who was under cross examination by the prosecution, shouted to the prosecutor "Sir have you ever grew up without a father?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't," said Robles as she choked back tears.

Prosecutors hoped for a tough penalty. One of the prosecutors, John Briggs, reminded jurors before they went in to deliberate the sentencing that Murillo should get a longer sentence.

"She is stuck under that car. She is frying, while she is having the life crushed out of her," Briggs told jurors.

Meanwhile, defense lawyer Frank Macias argued that his client was remorseful and that he helped Brito, after she was struck by the car. Some family members don't believe it.

"I don't know why he stood out there and said he was an unsung hero. That was just very hurtful," said Esparza.

Briggs said David Rocha was the driver of the car that hit Brito, could have faced charges for an accident causing death or injury failure to stop and render aid. Briggs said Rocha was never indicted or charged, because he had a legal right to flee the scene, since shots were fired and feared for his life. Under defense of necessity and duress, he said Rocha had the right to flee because there was immediate danger to himself.

He said, later prosecutors offered immunity from any future charges in exchange for his testimony.

Esparza said Brito died the same way her father died. She said he too was run over by a vehicle and left to die. Another family member said that when Murillo gets out of jail she hopes that he will be a good father to his beautiful boys. One of Murillo’s sons recently had heart surgery. Murillo’s family said they will appeal the guilty verdict.