GAINESVILLE - A 17-year-old plead guilty Wednesday in the beating death of a Gainesville man and was sentenced to life in prison.
Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh said Daniel Vilches-Ayala admitted to being with co-defendant Brian Martin Rivera when 68-year-old Ramon Hernandez was murdered at his home on Marlow Drive in March.
"He admitted participating in the burglary of the home, that he knew that that was the plan and that he looked for belongings of the victim while he was being beaten by Rivera," said Darragh.
He said Vilches-Ayala also entered a guilty plea to the burglary of Hernandez's home, but said that charge was merged into the felony murder charge with no additional sentence.
Rivera remains at large. The case against the other co-defendant, 17-year-old Nelson Vaca, is pending and no trial date has been set.
A co-worker found Hernandez's body on March 16 after he failed to show up for work.
Hall County Sheriff's Col. Jeff Strickland said earlier this year that all three suspects are believed to be members of the street gang SUR 13.
Thursday
May 9th, 2024
6:41PM
