Teen pleads guilty to second degree murder in shooting at Longmont car rally
A teen charged in a fatal shooting at a car rally in Longmont pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Friday.
Christian Mendoza, 17, was charged as an adult after he fatally shot 16-year-old Robert Maldonado in the Longmont Hobby Lobby parking lot in March 2024.
Officials said an altercation at the car rally between Mendoza and Maldonado turned physical. When Maldonado turned to head back towards the vehicle he arrived in, Mendoza shot him in the back right side. Maldonado fled the rally in his vehicle and crashed nearby. He later died from his injuries at the hospital.
Over a month after the shooting police located and arrested Mendoza.
He was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, felony menacing, carrying a concealed weapon, two counts of possession of a handgun by a juvenile, violent juvenile offender, and repeat juvenile offender. The last two are sentence enhancers.
Mendoza was tried as an adult in the 20th Judicial District Court in Boulder County.
Authorities said Mendoza pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and a violent crime sentence enhancer Friday. His sentencing hearing is set for April 7.