Man pleads no contest to 2019 murder of teen and is sentenced to 21 years in prison

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- It was an affectional greeting successful a South Valley courtroom, arsenic a Tulare County household faced the antheral liable for taking the beingness of past 16-year-old Ignacio Lemus successful Alpaugh, backmost successful 2019.

"My lad was a bully kid," recalls Ignacio's mother, Raquel Vazquez Lemus.

Ignacio's household described him arsenic a hardworking teen whose beingness was chopped short.

"It's been tragic, I consciousness similar nary household member, oregon person, should spell done what we are feeling close present oregon what we person been feeling for astir six years," expresses Claribel Hernandez, Ignacio's younger sister.

RELATED: Tulare County teens charged with execution of 16-year-old Ignacio Lemus

In June, Jesus Fernandez, who was 18 astatine the clip of the crime, pleaded nary contention to shooting and sidesplitting Ignacio. The plea meant nary trial.

"There's what you tin beryllium what you can, what you judge happened, what you tin beryllium happened. And that was going to beryllium a problem," explains Dave Alavezos, a Tulare County Chief Deputy District Attorney.

In tribunal connected Tuesday morning, the convicted slayer was sentenced to 21 years.

Fernandez besides gave an apology to Ignacio's family, saying successful part, "I'm sorry... it wasn't expected to beryllium similar this, I cognize atrocious is not enough."

Also successful tribunal was Vanessa Macias Velazco, who was 19 astatine the clip of the transgression and was convicted of accessory aft the fact. She has completed her two-year situation sentence.

For Ignacio's heartbroken family, they volition proceed to transportation the representation of their loved 1 successful their hearts..

"I astir apt volition forgive, possibly not now, possibly not later, but I volition forgive, and that each comes with time, respect and grant what radical say," expresses Diego Vazquez, Ignacio's Brother.

Ignacio's brother, Carlos Hernandez, continues to say, "Hopefully, from what I believe, God is the existent justness retired there, and everything is based connected him. God volition determination beryllium justice."

The Tulare County District Attorney's Office says that due to the fact that of authorities laws similar Prop 57 and 47, Fernandez volition apt not service his afloat sentence.

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