- Two 19-year-olds were sentenced to prison for the murder of 15-year-old Francisco Cuena in a West Valley neighborhood.
- Anthony Hernandez received 15 years to life for murder; Kimberly Alvarez will serve at least five years and up to life.
- District Attorney Sim Gill emphasized the impact of the incident on Cuena and the eight teens charged in his death, four in juvenile court.
WEST JORDAN — Two 19-year-olds were sentenced to prison Monday for their roles in the ambush death of 15-year-old Francisco Jesus Cuena in West Valley City two and a half years ago.
Investigators say the victim was lured into a cul-de-sac, ambushed and killed.
On March 3, 2023, police responded to a call and discovered that a car had with about 20 gunshot holes in it had crashed into a brick wall at the end of a cul-de-sac. Cuena was inside with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anthony Alexander Hernandez, 19, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for murder, a first-degree felony, after pleading guilty on May 1.
Kimberly Alvarez, 19, pleaded guilty on the same day to manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, a first-degree felony. She was sentenced to a term of one to 15 years in prison for manslaughter and a term of five years to life for discharge of a firearm. Third District Judge Stephen Nelson ordered her sentences to run concurrent.
Brian Alvarez, 18, also charged in the case, was scheduled to be sentenced Monday along with the other two defendants for murder, a first-degree felony, but he withdrew his plea.
Five others have also been sentenced for roles in the same killing, four in juvenile court and one in 3rd District Court. Xavior Lunt, 19, pleaded guilty to murder, a first-degree felony, and is serving a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.
A witness reported Lunt fired the first shot, and Kimberly Alvarez fired a total of 23 times herself, according to charging documents.
Video shows two cars parked in the cul-de-sac before Cuena arrived. After he arrived, multiple shots were fired before the two cars drove off, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.
Detectives believe Bryan Alvarez was "beefing" with Cuena and wanted to hurt him, so they planned to lure him to the area and rob him, prosecutors say. When he got there, some of the teenagers instead got out of their vehicles and started shooting.
District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement, "Nine young people had their lives forever changed by this senseless act of violence; one lost his life. As a community, we must do better to ensure that our children do not have the ability to access firearms. A deadly decision like the one these teens made has not only taken a life, it has changed the lives of all those involved before they had a chance to become adults."
He said he hopes the sentences help Cuena's family feel they have received justice, even if it is not perfect justice.
"We hope that with this ending, they can start to heal from the loss of their child," Gill said.
