Man Gets Life in Deaths of 2 Teens
A man who killed two high school sweethearts on a religious pilgrimage was sentenced to back-to-back life prison terms.
Carlos Herrera, 20, pleaded guilty last July to two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Ricky Martinez and Karen Castanon, both 17. He must serve at least 30 years of each sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
“I’m sorry,†he whispered in court.
The teenagers, who had been dating since their freshman year, were among pilgrims making an annual Good Friday trek to El Santuario de Chimayo, an old adobe church housing a shrine with dirt that believers say has healing power.
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