Teen takes plea deal in fatal shooting outside West Mesa HS

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Al Burson lost his son, 16-year-old Andrew Burson, in February 2022.

“I’ve lost parents, I’ve lost both my parents, I’ve buried both my parents, but the pain of losing a child to violence is 100,000 times worse,” Al said.

Marco Trejo, who was 14 at the time, shot and killed Andrew near West Mesa High School. Court documents showed Andrew was trying to get his gun back from Trejo, when Trejo shot him five times, killing him.

Trejo was in court to take a plea deal Friday.

“You will be admitting to the lesser included count. The lesser included count one – murder in the second degree – and in exchange will be committed up until the age of 21,” said Judge Alma Cristine Roberson.

Trejo will be held at the Youth Diagnostic and Development Center for the next five years as part of the plea agreement.

Andrew’s dad said he wanted to speak in court Friday on behalf of his wife, who had a critical brain surgery two weeks after Andrew’s death.

“The sad thing, the awful thing is after the first surgery, she forgot about the whole incident, and she had to relive his death again. This is what something like this does. And I want to make sure the public understands that,” he said in court Friday.

Al doesn’t agree with the plea, but vowed to fight for harsher penalties in the future. He also had a message for his son’s killer.

“Marco, I want to say you’re getting a second chance – something Andy won’t have. And, I do forgive you, Marco, you have my forgiveness.”

Trejo declined to make a statement in court Friday.