BENTONVILLE — Uris Magana-Galdamez admitted his role Thursday in the 2006 murder of Derrick Jefferson.
Magana-Galdamez, 21, had been charged with accomplice to capital murder, but prosecutors agreed to reduce the charge to accomplice to first-degree murder under a plea arrangement reached with Magana-Galdamez attorneys Kent McLemore and Marianne Hudson.
Magana-Galdamez pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated robbery, both class Y felonies and punishable by 10 to 40 years or life on each count.
He was sentenced to 35 years in prison on each count. The sentences will be served concurrently. Magana-Galdamez will serve slightly more than 24 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.
Circuit Judge David Clinger also ordered Magana-Galdamez to pay $870 in court costs. Magana-Galdamez will receive 1,398 days of jail credit for the time he spent in jail awaiting a trial.
Jefferson’s body was found on Dec. 30, 2006, in a driveway at 4265 N. 40th St. in Springdale. The teen had been shot once in the head.
Erickson Dimas-Martinez, the triggerman, has already been tried and sentenced to death for the crime.
Benton County Prosecutor Van Stone said in court Thursday that Jefferson met Dimas-Martinez and Magana-Galdamez at a party in Springdale. The two were suppose to give Jefferson a ride to his Centerton home. The two instead discussed and planned to provide a ride as pretense to rob Jefferson, Stone said.
The two gave Jefferson, 17, a ride in Dimas-Martinez’s car. Two females went along also, believing they were simply giving Jefferson a ride home, Stone said.
According to Stone, Dimas-Martinez instructed Jefferson to drive the car to various locations before directing the teen to park in front of a house in a remote location in Benton County. Stone said Dimas-Martinez and Magana-Galdamez got out of the vehicle and had a discussion in front of the car. Dimas-Martinez then approached Jefferson who was still in the driver’s seat. He cocked and pointed a .380 caliber handgun at Jefferson and ordered him out of the car.
Stone said Dimas-Martinez then ordered Jefferson to turn over his money and some clothing, which Jefferson did.
One of the girls attempted to help Jefferson, but Magana-Galdamez put what the girl described as a knife to her neck and threatened her to keep her quiet and ordered her back in the car, Stone said.
Stone said Magana-Galdamez got in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Dimas-Martinez approached the driver’s seat then turned and shot Jefferson.
Magana-Galdamez, with the aid of an interpreter, agreed Stone’s description of the crime was correct.
Stone told Clinger that Jefferson’s family members and law enforcement agreed with the plea agreement.
Stone said he spoke with Jefferson’s mother and grandmother. Neither Jefferson’s mother nor his grandmother were present Thursday. They were a daily presence during Dimas-Martinez’s three-week murder trial earlier this year.
“In their minds this is a fair resolution for what Mr. Magana-Galdamez did,” Stone said.
Stone also told the court Magana-Galdamez had no previous criminal history and was 17 at the time of the crime.
“He was not the triggerman, but this does acknowledge he played a terrible role in this crime,” Stone said.
McLemore told the court his client is remorseful for his role in Jefferson’s death.
“We feel we have seen him grow up,” McLemore said. “We have been with this case for years.”
“I’m sorry for what happened,” Magana-Galdamez said in Spanish.
Ruth Jefferson, the murdered teen’s mother, wrote a letter Stone submitted to the court. She described Derrick as a great son, grandson, brother, cousin and friend.
She told Magana-Galdamez in the letter she can’t forgive him, but in time she will be able to come to terms with what happened to her son.
“You did have a choice and you chose the wrong one,” Ruth Jefferson wrote in the letter. “Derrick was barely 17 years old when you took his life and so were you when you gave up yours. It just doesn’t make sense.”