Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the shooting death of an 11-year-old boy outside an Albuquerque baseball stadium in 2023, a tragic event that led the New Mexico governor to impose a contentious gun ban. The district attorney’s office in Albuquerque announced the sentences on Wednesday.
The investigation revealed that the assailants had mistaken the truck carrying a mother and her three young children for another vehicle as crowds were departing from the stadium. The gunfire resulted in the death of 11-year-old Froylan Villegas and left his cousin, Tatiana Villegas, paralyzed. Meanwhile, Froylan’s mother and infant brother survived without injuries.
Earlier in February, a jury found Jose Romero and Nathen Garley, both in their early twenties, guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and firing weapons at or from a vehicle, alongside other charges related to the tragic incident.
The court sentenced these individuals to life imprisonment plus an additional 46 years, a penalty that ensures they will remain in the custody of the Corrections Department indefinitely, as stated by the prosecutors.
Following the tragic incident and similar occurrences that claimed the lives of young children, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a public health emergency due to the rise in gun violence. This action temporarily curtailed the right to carry firearms in certain parks and playgrounds in the wider Albuquerque region. The governor’s decision sparked protests and legal challenges from gun rights advocates.
District Attorney Sam Bregman, who intends to run for governor in 2026, expressed in a statement that the shootings profoundly affected the community. He applauded his team for their dedication to securing justice and holding the perpetrators accountable.