Horizon man sentenced for murder of 16-year-old girl found dead in an alley
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A Horizon City man was just sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the 2023 murder of a 16-year-old girl whose body was discovered in an alley in Far East El Paso.
A spokesperson for the El Paso District Attorney's Office says that Cesar Alejandro Roa, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of Murder in the killing of the girl. Roa also pleaded guilty to two additional charges related to the manufacturing and delivery of controlled substances.
On February 16, 2023, El Paso Police Department officers responded to the 14300 block of Coyote Trail Drive after reports of an unattended death. There, they found the girl’s body in an alleyway with a gunshot wound to the back of her neck.
Investigators learned that the girl and several friends had arranged, through social media, to steal drugs from a dealer. During the attempted theft, court documents state that one of the girl's friends grabbed the drugs and the group ran. The dealer, later identified as Roa, started shooting, hitting the girl. A friend found the girl’s body, and contacted 911. Police officers arrested Roa on March 3, 2023.
As part of the plea agreement, Roa was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder and 10 years for each of the drug charges. All sentences will run concurrently.
