All 3 suspects in Chaviz Nguyen death to be tried as adults for first-degree murder
Cesar Bolanos is the latest 17-year-old accused of killing Chaviz Nguyen to learn he will be tried as an adult.
Bolanos is one of three teens facing charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with the November 2023 drive-by shooting of Nguyen, an incident in downtown Springfield that also injured the victim's pregnant girlfriend.
Timothy Hester, 17, also recently saw his juvenile charges upgraded to adult court for his alleged role Nguyen's death. Bolanos and Hester each had a certification hearing in February where prosecutors presented evidence for a judge to consider whether or not the seriousness of the allegations warranted adult legal proceedings.
Hester's charges were upgraded on April 11 and Bolanos' were upgraded on April 16. The two juveniles and 19-year-old Elysha Bedell have been incarcerated since their November arrests and are being held without bond. According to Missouri law, juveniles charged as adults won't be transported to an adult correctional facility until they turn 18 or are convicted of the crime.
Josephine Stockard is listed as the judge for the two 17-year-old defendants. Greene County Judge Todd Myers is overseeing Bedell's case.
"No combination of nonmonetary conditions and monetary conditions will secure the safety of the community or other person including the victim(s) and witness(es) and the Court," court records for Bolanos noted. "Therefore, (the judge) denies bail herein and orders the defendant detained pending trial and any other stage of the criminal proceeding."
Nguyen, 26, was passenger in a car driven by his girlfriend on Grant Avenue near College Street when he was shot and killed. A vehicle full of teenagers reportedly came up beside Nguyen's car and fired their guns, also injuring the driver before fleeing the scene.
The death of Nguyen, a former Parkview High School and Lincoln University football player whose parents own downtown restaurant Lucky Time, shook the Springfield community. He was widely described as a hard-working family man — a father with another child on the way — who avoided trouble.
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Nguyen's death also sparked a "Stop Gun Violence" rally, where several locals lamented Springfield's string of shooting deaths.
"Chaviz was so likeable," wrote Anthony Hays, now the head football coach Savannah High School. "One of those players that you just loved to coach. I'll always remember his infectious smile and big heart."
Ryan Collingwood covers a wide range of topics for the News-Leader with an emphasis on public safety. He can be reached by phone at 417-258-8174 and email at rcollingwood@news-leader.com. You can also follow Ryan on social media at X.com/rwcollingwood.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: All 3 suspects in Chaviz Nguyen's fatal shooting to be tried as adults
