Tucson man sentenced to life in prison for 'utterly senseless' murder

A Tucson man who shot and killed another man in a Circle K parking lot in 2021 because he was “angry” was sentenced Monday to life in prison.

Lazaro Enrique Villa was sentenced to natural life in prison by Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner after he was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Jaime Tadeo-Avila, 50.

Villa was also sentenced to 21 years for the drive-by shooting and 15 years for aggravated assault. Both sentences will run concurrent with one another.

Marner called the shooting “utterly senseless.” Villa had no reaction when Marner issued his sentence.

Villa’s trial started May 23 and lasted three days, with the jury reaching a verdict hours after closing arguments, court records show.

During Monday’s sentencing, Tadeo-Avila’s son, who was in the car with him at the time of the shooting, addressed the court, saying he was traumatized by the incident.

He said he was in shock when the shooting happened and remembers screaming for help. After the shooting, he said he could barely eat or drink.

The son said he is still scared to this day and that he flinches every time he hears a loud sound, and he can’t sit in the passenger seat of a car without thinking about the shooting.

Prosecutor Ryan Gant told the judge no sentence could bring Tadeo-Avila’s family justice and asked that Marner sentence Villa to life in prison.

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Mark Resnick, the defense attorney, said Villa made a very bad decision when he was young and struggling with mental health issues.

On June 11, 2021, Tadeo-Avila and his then 15-year-old son were driving through a Circle K parking lot near West Valencia Road and South Midvale Park Road when they pulled up next to Villa’s vehicle, which was backing out of a parking spot.

The two vehicles pulled close to each other and nearly caused a collision, an interim complaint filed in Pima County Justice Court said.

Villa pulled out a handgun, opened the door and fired numerous shots at Tadeo-Avila and his son, striking the father repeatedly, the complaint said.

To avoid being shot, the son jumped into the backseat, but he was hit by shrapnel. The father and son then crawled out of the windows of the car and stumbled up to the doors of the Circle K.

Tadeo-Avila was later pronounced dead at the scene. His son was taken to a hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

Villa, who fled after the shooting, ended up calling 911 and telling them about the incident. During an interview, he told detectives he got angry when the other vehicle pulled up right next to him, stating he has “anger management issues” and “loses control of himself,” the complaint said.