Jury finds Montoya guilty of first-degree murder in JB White's death
May 17—A Santa Fe jury has convicted Estevan Montoya of first-degree murder in the 2020 shooting death of noted high school athlete Fedonta "JB" White.
Montoya, then 16, shot White, 18, at a house party in Chupadero in August 2020 in front of numerous witnesses.
Following a two-week trial, the panel of eight men and four women received the case around 4 p.m. Monday and deliberated for about an hour before adjourning and returning Tuesday morning. They considered the case four more hours before reaching a verdict.
White's supporters wept when state District Judge T. Glenn Ellington read the verdict.
Montoya took the stand in his own defense Monday, saying he shot White in self-defense after he and White exchanged words and then White came at him, swinging.
Prosecutors argued Montoya went to the party armed and lured White into a fistfight before shooting him point blank and running away.
But Ellington determined there wasn't enough evidence of self-defense presented at the trial to give the jury the option of finding Montoya had committed a justifiable homicide based on self-defense.
Instead, the judge told jurors they had the option of finding Montoya guilty or not guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, depraved-mind murder or a lesser offense of second-degree murder.
The jurors also convicted Montoya of counts of tampering with evidence, unlawful carrying of a handgun and negligent use of a deadly weapon, based on allegations he disposed of the murder weapon — which was never found — and the clothing he wore the night of the shooting.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.