YAKIMA — A 15-year-old boy who pleaded guilty in the shooting death of a 22-year-old man in Yakima will remain in juvenile custody until he’s 21.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reports Jose Alejandro Diaz pleaded guilty last week in Yakima County Juvenile Court to second-degree murder in the Aug. 8 death of Anthony Yocom.
Deputy Prosecutor David Soukup says keeping the case in juvenile court was part of a plea agreement. Authorities had initially considered charging him as an adult.
Diaz told authorities he shot Yocom in self-defense. Relatives said Diaz was known to carry a handgun. At the time of the shooting, Diaz was wanted on a warrant for failing to appear in court for a drug paraphernalia charge last year.