Man Takes Plea Deal in Drive-by Shooting of 15-year-old Twin Falls Boy
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — A 21-year-old Buhl man pleaded guilty for his part in the drive-by shooting death of a 15-year-old high school student in 2016.
On Friday, Gerardo R. Chavez pleaded guilty to first degree murder in 5th District Court in Twin Falls County for the killing of Canyon Ridge High School student Vason Widaman. Early in the case Chavez pleaded not guilty to charges. Vason was shot and killed on May 7, 2016, near North College Road West and Northern Pine Drive.
The court accepted a plea agreement and the prosecutor dismissed a second charge of intimidating a witness.
Judge Benjamin Cluff said Chavez could be sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 20 years before being eligible for parole. Chavez sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
Twin Falls Police arrested Chavez and Jose Alvarez, also of Buhl, on Dec. 21, 2016 in Twin Falls after months of inactivity.
Alvarez, 22, also faces a first degree murder charge and intimidating a witness. His last date in court was in July, where court minutes indicated looking at future court dates. A September jury trial for Alvarez was vacated.