On Tuesday, July 21, a judge sentenced 46‑year‑old Ariana Aguilar to prison after a jury found her guilty in the Oct. 13, 2024, shooting death of her boyfriend, Jorge Llamas‑Galaviz. The court imposed multiple terms for murder, aggravated burglary, obstruction of justice and retaliation against a witness that together add up to decades behind bars. Family members in the courtroom said the sentence offered some measure of accountability even as they mourned the loss.
How prosecutors say it unfolded
According to a press release from the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, Taylorsville police were called to a residence in the middle of the night on Oct. 13, 2024. Officers found Llamas unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his neck and Aguilar on top of him. Prosecutors say Aguilar broke into Llamas’s home, let others inside and directed a group to his bedroom, where one of the teens fired the fatal shot. The filing and court documents describe witness statements and video that investigators say tied Aguilar to the confrontation.
Sentencing handed down Tuesday
A Third District Court judge imposed a series of prison terms: 15 years to life for first‑degree murder, 5 years to life for first‑degree aggravated burglary, two 1‑to‑15‑year terms for obstruction of justice and up to five years for retaliation against a witness, according to ABC4 Utah. Taken together, the rulings leave Aguilar facing what could be the rest of her life in state prison.
Co‑defendants, pleas and probation
Ariana’s daughter, Natalie Estella Aguilar, admitted to manslaughter and aggravated burglary and had two 1‑to‑15‑year prison sentences suspended in favor of five years of probation, while Alejandro Mendoza pleaded to reduced charges and received probation, as reported by KSL. One juvenile defendant pleaded guilty to murder and was committed to secure juvenile care until age 25, while the other minors’ cases were handled in juvenile court. “If they are aware of what they did, they should accept every consequence,” the victim’s mother told the judge, according to reporting.
Reactions and legal notes
In a statement via the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, District Attorney Sim Gill said the prosecution helped deliver accountability for the fatal decision to bring people to the home. With the major adult cases resolved through verdicts and plea agreements and juveniles adjudicated in juvenile court, officials say any remaining legal steps will play out in public filings. Defense attorneys may pursue post‑trial motions or appeals, which would be reflected in court records if filed.
