OTHELLO, Wash. — An Othello man was sentenced to 155 months in prison for shooting and killing a 16-year-old single mother in Oct. 2022.
On Oct. 6, 2022, 18-year-old Justin Yair Gonzalez-Luna was accused of firing eight rounds into a vehicle at the intersection of Sylvan and Rose Drive in Othello.
Inside the vehicle was a 16-year-old single mother who was killed and a second woman in the head, who has made a full recovery. There were three other men in the vehicle who were uninjured.
After the shooting, Gonzalez-Luna fled to Mexico for three months. In January 2023, he returned to Othello and was arrested the day after he returned.
Evidence showed that Gonzalez-Luna was hiding in the attic and texting his friend prior to him surrendering to police. Law enforcement also recovered the firearm used in the murder in Renton.
On Sept. 26, Gonzalez-Luna entered an Alford plea which allowed him to maintain his innocence while acknowledging that he would likely be convicted at trial. During his sentencing, he apologized for his actions before the judge.
The Adams County Superior Court sentenced Justin Yair Gonzalez-Luna 12 years and 11 months in prison for second degree murder and second degree assault.
The Othello Police Department have concluded this investigation. The partnership with the Adams County Prosecutor’s Office during this investigation helped deliver the outcome of the case.
