A December street argument in northwest Oklahoma City has ended with a decade-long prison term. Richard Hawkins pleaded guilty Monday and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the December 20, 2024 shooting that left 31-year-old Leopoldo Luna dead, with court records showing the plea reduced an original first-degree murder charge to first-degree manslaughter. Hawkins received credit for time served since his arrest in January 2025.
New court filings show Hawkins accepted a plea deal that downgraded his charge to first-degree manslaughter and capped his punishment at 10 years behind bars, according to KOCO. MSgt. Gary Knight with the Oklahoma City Police Department told investigators the shooting followed an argument that escalated when one person pulled out a handgun and fired, a detail included in court paperwork and reported by KOCO.
The shooting happened shortly before 6:30 p.m. on December 20 near Northwest Fourth Street and North Kentucky Avenue, where officers found Luna on the side of the road, according to the City of Oklahoma City's bulletin. Coverage by News On 6 also identified the victim as 31-year-old Leopoldo Luna and said investigators treated the death as a homicide.
Plea, sentence and time served
Court records show Hawkins was taken into custody in January 2025 and initially pleaded not guilty, then changed his plea this week. The judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison, giving him credit for the time he has already served behind bars, per KOCO.
Investigation and community context
The city bulletin reiterated that anyone with information should call the homicide tip line at 405-297-1200, and local residents say they are shaken by the killing. Hoodline previously reported the shooting marked the city's 77th homicide of 2024 and urged witnesses to come forward.
