Trial begins for suspects in murder of 11-year-old Froylan Villegas
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Opening statements are set to begin Monday in the trial of two of the men charged with the mistaken identity murder of 11-year-old Froylan Villegas.
Nathen Garley and Jose Romero are accused of shooting at what they allegedly believed was a rival gang member’s truck.
As it turns out, that truck was the vehicle Froylan Villegas was riding in with his family as they were leaving an Albuquerque Isotopes game. Froylan was killed in the shooting. The shooting also left Froylan’s cousin critically wounded.
“The evidence will establish with a resonance doubt that the actions were willful and deliberate, not taking into account the safety of anybody coming out of that ball game,” said Deputy District Attorney, Lawrence M. Hansen.
This month, Garley pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute it. A federal complaint states Garley was arrested Sept. 13 in Grants for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams of a substance containing fentanyl.
Later on, they connected him to Froylan’s death, which happened a week before the stop.
Daniel Gomez is also charged in the case but he will be tried separately, according to the district attorney’s office.
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