Today 14 year-old Juan Saucdeo Jr. pled no contest to Second Degree Murder. He will remain in custody until he is 21, the maximum sentence allowed for a child under New Mexico law.

Saucedo is responsible for the shooting death of 13 year-old Bennie Hargrove. The shooting happened at the start of the school year, in front of dozens of classmates at Washington Middle School in August, 2021.

“This was a terrible tragedy for everyone involved,” said Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman.  “It changed the Hargrove family forever and devastated hundreds of children, parents, school faculty and the community.  We hope this brings some closure to the Hargrove family,” DA Bregman said.

Bennie’s family members told the court today, he is deeply loved and missed every single day and said what hurts even more is that a child did this to another child.