COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A 20-year-old charged with first-degree murder in connection to the gang-related executions of two Coronado High School students has pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
The Gazette reported Monday that Gustavo Antonio Marquez, one of five charged for the March 2017 killings, has avoided the potential for a life sentence in prison by pleading guilty to second-degree murder. Marquez is eligible for 32 to 38 years in prison. He must testify against alleged co-conspirators as part of his deal.
Authorities say 15-year-old Derek Greer and 16-year-old Natalie Cano-Partida were found shot in the head at point-blank range.
Marquez emerged as an early informant in the case, telling El Paso County sheriff's investigators that he was in the car that carried the teens to their deaths but didn't participate in the shootings.