Jose Romero and Nathen Garley, two gang members, shot at a white truck, believing it was transporting rival gang members at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque. Inside, however, an innocent family was savagely shot at, with 11-year-old Froylan Villegas being killed as a result. The two gangbangers have now been sentenced.
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According to KRQE, Romer and Garley were sentenced to life in prison, plus 46 years, by Judge Emetrio Rodolfo on Monday, June 16. The pair were previously found guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, shooting at or from a vehicle, and additional charges, as per the New York Post.
Back in September 2023, both men shot at the family’s Dodge. Froylan was shot dead, and his cousin, Tatiana Villegas, was left wheelchair-bound as a result of the shooting. Froylan’s mother and baby brother were unharmed.
Villegas attended the sentencing hearing and delivered a powerful victim impact statement.
“He took my best friend,” Villegas said. “I had to see my best friend die right in front of me. Not only that. He changed my life completely. He gets to sit here, smirk, walk, eat in jail, and I have to depend on my mom.”
Smirk Gone
The now-paralyzed 23-year-old woman noted that, as he was being sentenced, Jose Romero smirked at the grieving family. However, the smirk was quickly erased after he was sentenced to life in prison by the judge, who “didn’t go easy on them.”
“Jose just sits there and basically laughs and taunts us, but after the judge sentences him, he didn’t laugh no more, I was like ‘Why don’t you laugh now?'” Villegas added.
Romero asked to be escorted out of the courtroom, saying, “I’m done here.”
Villegas talked with KOAT, stating that she and the family were happy following the sentencing, saying that they got justice for Froylan and her.
“And that’s what matters,” Villegas said. “The rest we leave in God’s hands. We’re glad to close this chapter and move on.”
Following the hearing, Bernalillo District attorneys embraced the Villegas family and gave them gifts, as per KRQE. One of those gifts was a signed Red Sox baseball. Froylan was a big fan of the team.