Tucson teen convicted in 'revenge killing'

A jury convicted a Tucson teen in the killing of a man at a local apartment complex in 2021, records show.

Gabriel Alejandro Pichardo, 18, was found guilty of first degree murder, discharging a firearm at a nonresidential structure and two counts of endangerment in Pima County Superior Court on Sept. 14, court records show. It took the jury a day to reach a verdict.

Pichardo was initially arrested when he was 16 years old in connection with the fatal shooting of Andres Guillermo Franco, 23, at an apartment complex near East 29th Street and South Swan Road on Nov. 2, 2021.

Deputy County Attorney Mark Diebolt described the incident in opening statements as a “revenge killing.”

Diebolt told jurors that about four months before Franco’s death, Pichardo’s older brother, Felix Pichardo, was shot and killed by Terrayne Newsome. Franco happened to be at the scene right after the shooting.

Months later, a gunman approached Franco, who was at his stepfather’s home along with his wife and two young children. The gunman asked if he was Franco, then said, “this is for AP,” which was Felix Pichardo’s nickname, Diebolt said.

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Franco was shot multiple times, and the gunman fled.

Pichardo’s attorney, Stephanie Bond, said her client was not guilty and was actually helping Pichardo’s family because they needed him to testify in the criminal case in Felix Pichardo’s killing.

In the end, the jury declared Pichardo guilty on all counts.

Pichardo had initially gone to trial for the killing in June, however, Judge Renee Bennett declared a mistrial due to late disclosure of evidence by the prosecution.

Pichardo is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 6.