Left: Cruz Medina (KOB). Right: Jada Gonzales (GoFundMe).
One of five defendants who shot up a house in New Mexico after they were kicked out of a party, killing an 18-year-old woman inside, has learned his fate.
Cruz Medina, who was 16 when he fired at the house in 2022, killing Jada Gonzales, was sentenced Friday to 24 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to a first-degree murder charge in October.
“In your own immaturity and anger and complete disregard for the respect of your life and every other individual, you decided to shoot at that house. I know that you knew what happened that night because it was all over the news. You didn’t turn yourself in, you continued to terrorize the community and shoot at other homes … and for what? You don’t understand the value of other people’s lives, and you have shown that,” said New Mexico Second Judicial District Judge Courtney Weaks.
Medina apologized in court.
“That night, I knew what was going to happen, and I really didn’t want it to happen,” he said. “I really tried not to do anything. If I could take away what happened that night, I would.”
