Over two years ago, a group of teens opened fire on a vehicle, resulting in the death of Kayla Montaño. On Friday, two of those involved were sentenced to prison. The tragic incident stemmed from a case of mistaken identity, after Diamond Salazar, 19, told a group of males to target a vehicle she believed had robbed her. Prosecutors say one of the teens, Estevan Lucero, had full intent to kill.
“But to say you acted to protect Diamond doesn’t tell the whole story. I know because I’ve heard the complete testimony from the detective and other witnesses,” said Judge Courtney Weaks, emphasizing that the crime was unjustified on the night of March 25, 2022.
Five teenagers were charged with the murder of Montaño after 30 rounds were fired at her SUV at the Maverik gas station on Princeton. Salazar directed three juvenile males, Ty Gallegos, Adam Sedillo, and Estevan Lucero, to pursue the vehicle she mistakenly thought had robbed her.
“If Diamond had simply called the police or arranged to meet the boys elsewhere, she wouldn’t have turned them into murderers,” said Montaño’s mother.
“She knew what her 14-year-old boyfriend was capable of. She called Estevan in seconds, making him a murderer and costing an innocent life,” Montaño’s brother added.
Lucero has been identified as the main culprit by prosecutors, who presented video evidence of him, wearing an orange sweater, firing at the vehicle. “We believe Mr. Lucero is the killer here. He didn’t back down like the others, as you saw in the video,” a prosecuting attorney stated.
Lucero’s mother defended her son, saying, “He’s not a murderer. He’s a child who made a terrible mistake.”
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I’m sorry, that’s all I can say,” Lucero said in court.
Salazar was sentenced to 19 years in prison, while Lucero received a 22-year sentence.
