A Colorado gang member who was 14 years old when he killed the mother of a young child with an assault rifle over a minor fender bender in broad daylight has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years. Remi Cordova, convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder, was tried as an adult after being transferred from Juvenile Court due to the severity of the crime. He was sentenced on December 14, 2024, by Denver District Attorney Beth McCann.
Cordova’s crime took place on February 20, 2021, at a red light on Colfax Avenue and Interstate 25 in Denver. He was a passenger in a car driven by another teen, Neshan Johnson, when they believed that Pamela Cabriales’ car had tapped theirs from behind. According to court documents, Cordova asked the driver, “Can I bust on them?” and Johnson responded, “Do what you gotta do, that’s on you.” Cordova then got out of the car with an AR-15 rifle and fired 15 to 20 shots into the car behind them.
Cabriales, a 32-year-old mother, was hit and later died in the hospital from her injuries. The driver of the car behind her was unharmed. Alex Cabriales, Pamela’s brother, described the horrific scene, saying, “the whole top of her head was blown off. Her brain was exposed.” He emphasized that his sister was a beautiful person and expressed the pain the family was enduring.
Cordova’s defense team argued that his traumatic childhood played a role in his actions, but he denied taking responsibility for the killing. In court, he expressed sympathy for the victim’s family but refused to admit guilt, stating, “I cannot take responsibility for something that I did not do.” His words were met with disbelief by those who had lost a loved one in such a senseless act of violence.
The shooting was part of a larger pattern of violence tied to gang activity. Cordova, who was already involved in gangs, boasted about his involvement and his “toy,” referring to the AR-15, during police questioning. The prosecution argued that the shooting was motivated by Cordova’s desire to climb the ranks of the gang world, a world driven by violence and intimidation.
The investigation into the shooting led to the identification of the vehicle involved, and a police officer recognized the car from a previous incident involving shots fired at a McDonald’s. The officer pursued the vehicle, which crashed, and both teens were arrested after a search.
Cordova’s co-defendant, Neshan Johnson, was sentenced to 35 years in prison in June 2023 for his role in the crime. Johnson had been driving the car during the incident, and his actions were deemed complicit in the shooting.
Pamela Cabriales was remembered by those who knew her as a loving mother, daughter, sister, and friend. A GoFundMe page set up to support her young son, who was left without his mother, described Cabriales as a “beautiful soul” who would go out of her way to help others. The page expressed the deep loss felt by her family and community, highlighting her role as a devoted mother who had worked tirelessly to ensure her son’s well-being.
Cordova’s sentencing brings a measure of justice, but it cannot undo the damage caused by his reckless and violent actions. Pamela’s family and the community continue to mourn her loss, while the case serves as a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of senseless violence
