DENVER — A man pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder in the killing of a 14-year-old boy outside Denver's Southwest Recreation Center in 2022.
Diego Lopez was accused of severely beating, shooting and killing 14-year-old Josiaz “Jojo” Aragon on Aug. 8, 2022.
Prosecutors said Lopez, who was 16 years old at the time of the fatal shooting, had bought a gun from the 14-year-old boy when he shot him in the back after the transaction was complete.
Lopez was accused of pistol-whipping, stabbing and possibly stomping on Aragon’s head after getting the gun, according to an arrest affidavit in the case, which further states that Lopez then gathered the weapons, took Aragon's cell phone and money, and fled on foot toward his home, dropping a $20 with a fraction of a fingerprint on it along the way.
Lopez was arrested on the evening of Sept. 30, 2022, and was formally charged with murder on Oct. 6, 2022.
He now faces up to 48 years in prison, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
“With this plea, Diego Lopez is finally accepting responsibility for his horrific and senseless actions. We will seek a heavy prison term when he’s sentenced,” said Denver District Attorney John Walsh. “The successful resolution of the case was the result of the outstanding work of the prosecutors, investigators, paralegals and victim advocates in the Denver DA’s Office, as well as the homicide detectives with the Denver Police Department.”
His sentencing is July 18.
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