Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Alejandro Mendoza, 18, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a Taylorsville shooting.
- Initially charged with murder, Mendoza pleaded guilty to reduced charges on Monday.
- Mendoza, charged as an adult, awaits sentencing Jan. 20; two codefendants face upcoming trials.
TAYLORSVILLE — An Ogden man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a Taylorsville burglary that turned deadly last year.
Alejandro Mendoza, 18, pleaded guilty Monday in 3rd District Court to reduced charges of manslaughter and aggravated burglary, second-degree felonies. He was initially charged with murder and aggravated assault, first-degree felonies, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony. The obstruction charge was dismissed during his arraignment in May.
Mendoza was only 17 at the time of the crime but was charged as an adult along with two others: Ariana Aguilar, 45, and her daughter Natalie Estella Aguilar, 20. All three are from Ogden. Four others, ages 14-16, were listed as codefendants in the case.
On Oct. 13, 2024, Taylorsville police responded to a residence near 2300 West and 4200 South where they located Jorge Llamas, 21, who had been shot and killed. Ariana Aguilar was dating Llamas at the time and told police she didn't know who had shot him, charging documents state.
While police were still investigating at the house, they heard a commotion and found Ariana Aguilar had pinned another woman down and was hitting her, according to the charges. That woman told police Ariana Aguilar and Llamas had gotten into a fight earlier that night and Llamas kicked her out. Ariana Aguilar then returned to the house with her daughter, Natalie Aguilar, and several teens.
Moments after two of the teens entered Llamas' bedroom, a shot was heard. After Llamas was killed, Ogden police helped locate and arrest those who had allegedly fled from the home.
The mother and daughter were charged with murder and aggravated burglary, first-degree felonies. Ariana Aguilar was also charged with two counts of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, and retaliation against a witness, a third-degree felony.
After she was arrested, "Natalie (Aguilar) stated that she received a call from her mother, Ariana, who told her they needed to come 'jump' Llamas," according to the charges.
When Natalie Aguilar arrived with the others, they found her mother, who allegedly claimed Llamas had "put hands on" her. The group then forced their way into Llamas' bedroom where he was sleeping, the charges state.
"Natalie stated Llamas was asleep when Ariana told them, 'This is the homie.' Natalie stated (one of the teens) began yelling at Llamas, 'You are going to lay hands on his homie's mother,' and hit him with the gun. Natalie stated (the teen) continued to hit Llamas with the pistol before shooting him," according to charging documents.
One of the teens charged later told investigators that they were just supposed to "scare" Llamas. That teen says he later got a message from one of the others stating, "Sorry someone must have put a bullet in the chamber," the charges state.
Mendoza is in custody of the Central Utah Youth Center and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 20.
Ariana Aguilar is scheduled to stand trial in April. Natalie Aguilar's next hearing is on Dec. 8.
