An Arapahoe County District Court jury late Friday, April 9, found Kenneth Gallegos, 19, of Aurora, guilty of murder in the May 8, 2019, death of Lloyd Chavez. The victim was 18 years old and a student at Cherokee Trail High School when he was killed outside his home in Centennial.
Gallegos was 17 at the time of the crime. Under Colorado law, the mandatory penalty for a juvenile
convicted of a first-class felony is life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.
“This defendant planned this crime and carried it out. When the victim was bleeding on the ground, the defendant did nothing to help him. Lloyd Chavez was killed over vape juice pods, and his life is over because of this defendant,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “I am pleased that the jury came to this verdict in this case. It is hard to think of justice when a young man’s life was taken so violently, but I’m hopeful the victim’s family finds some measure of solace in this verdict.”
Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Gallo tried the case with Deputy District Attorney Gwenn Sandrock.
Sentencing is set for June 2.
These are the jury’s guilty verdicts:
Guilty: First-degree murder – felony murder (F1)
Guilty: Aggravated robbery (F3)
Guilty: Conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery (F4)
