ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A local family is finally able to grieve after waiting years to see if they would get any kind of justice for their loved one.

KOB 4 spoke with the family of Kayla Montano Thursday. Kayla was murdered by a group of teens in 2022. 

On Wednesday, the final suspect stopped her trial and took a plea deal. That was some of the best news Montano’s family has gotten over the years.

“It’s been almost two and half years since she was murdered,” said Gracie Gonzales, Kayla’s mother. 

Gracie says the last few years without her daughter, Kayla Montano, have been extremely hard on her family. 

But now, Kayla’s brother Francisco Trevino says a huge weight has been lifted.

“It was very great to hear the outcome of what happened to this case and hear what’s going to happen to them,” said Trevino. 

Diamond Salazar was one of the teens charged with Kayla’s murder. She recruited the others to shoot at Montano’s car, thinking it was the person who robbed her earlier that day back in 2022. 

On Wednesday, Salazar stopped her trial and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. She now faces up to 24 years in prison. Salazar was the last one to go to court. 

Gonzales says these years without Kayla have been full of endless court hearings, and not much time left for grieving. 

“It’s over so we can now like I said grieve my girl in peace knowing that all of this is behind us. We’re never going to forget her, but we can at least move past this tragedy, and remember her for who she was, a loving mother who wanted nothing but the best for her girl,” said Gonzales. 

Closing this chapter is a huge step forward. 

“There is closure starting now there’s never going to be a time when I’m not going to miss her, but for now my purpose is to do things for her. I’m graduating college for her, I’m going to get a good career for her and live my life for her because that’s all she wanted,” Trevino said. 

The family isn’t just recovering from the loss of Kayla. 

“We talk about Kayla’s murder, but they were all there. Ciera had to throw away her shoes because they were covered in Kayla’s blood. Kayla bled on top of her. Cisco was forced by the 911 operator to take her pulse and see if she had any life in her. These are things that destroyed us,” said Gracie. 

Gonzales moved away from Albuquerque to give Kayla’s daughter, Naomi, a better life. She was in the car that night and saw her mother murdered.

“Kayla would do anything for this little girl. And she has a message for her mother’s killers, and she wants them to know that they destroyed her life, that they took her mom away from her and that she wishes they would spend the rest of their lives in jail even though we know that’s not going to be,” Gracie said. 

Even though the pain remains, Kayla lives on in her loved ones’ memories.

“It’s been a real struggle being without Kayla. She was my ride or die, she was my best friend,” said Ciera Franklin, Kayla’s best friend. 

“We’re only a year apart, so I spent my entire life with her, and she was my other half,” said Christina Montano, Kayla’s sister. 

Salazar also pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Salazar’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for mid-October. 

The three other teens involved also pleaded guilty to murder.