It was a case that shook the Houston community to its core. On August 24, 2020, Harris County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at an apartment where they found 8-month-old Savayah Mason unresponsive. Despite the frantic efforts of emergency medical personnel, little Savayah was pronounced dead at the hospital later that day. The events that unfolded in the weeks and months following his death would reveal an unthinkable crime.
Luis Luna, the baby’s father, had made the desperate call to the authorities that morning, claiming that his daughter had stopped breathing. But an autopsy soon uncovered a darker truth. Savayah had been suffocated and her tiny body showed signs of horrific abuse. Marks on her neck and ligature marks on her limbs indicated she had been tied up. Worse still, the autopsy confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.
The case led to Luna’s arrest and a lengthy investigation culminated in a 10-day trial. In October 2023, Luis Luna, 27, was convicted of capital murder for the murder and sexual assault of his daughter. The Harris County Prosecutor’s Office shared the news in a Press releaseconfirming that Luna was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“This baby couldn’t walk or talk, and should have been with someone to keep her safe, but instead she abused that trust,” said Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. His words spoke to the deep sense of betrayal felt by all who heard the details of the case.
KPCR-TV reported that Deputy District Attorneys Edward A. Appelbaum and Sara Delgado, who prosecuted the case, were equally shocked by the heinous nature of the crime. Appelbaum described it as “one of the most horrific acts of violence imaginable” and called Luna’s actions “the worst kind of evil in the world.”
Throughout the trial, the court heard evidence of Luna’s heinous actions and the suffering inflicted on her defenseless son. For those in attendance, the trial was a grim reminder of the depths of human cruelty.
While Luna will spend the rest of her life behind bars, the memory of Savayah Mason and the horrors she endured remain in the community. The case is a devastating example of a father’s failure to protect his most vulnerable child, leaving a wound that words alone cannot heal.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org.
