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Possible plea deal in killing of 32-year-old woman

Pamela Cabriales' brother said the possible deal is "a slap in the face."

DENVER — On February 20, 2021, 32-year-old Pamela Cabriales was shot in the head while stopped at a light at Colfax and I-25. She died two days later.

Denver Police arrested 18-year-old Neshan Johnson and an unnamed 14-year-old. According to court documents, the two teenagers were in the car ahead of Cabriales and thought she hit their car from behind. Court documents say the 14-year-old then grabbed a semi-automatic weapon and fired 15 to 20 shots into Cabriales' car.

Johnson and the 14-year-old were both charged with first-degree murder, which, if a defendant is convicted, carries a sentence of life in prison.

Cabriales' brother, Alex, said prosecutors told him on Tuesday that they're considering a deal for Johnson that would call for him to plead guilty to second-degree murder and serve seven years in the Colorado Youth Offender System.  

RELATED: Teen murder suspect released from custody 3 times prior to killing, sources say

Alex Cabriales said the proposed deal is an insult to his sister's memory.

"We just feel really let down by the system," Cabriales said.  "Giving him seven years, that's a slap in the face to my family, to my sister, to what happened to her, it's like her life didn't even matter."

Credit: Denver Police Department
Neshan Johnson

9NEWS legal analyst Scott Robinson said, given the facts of the case, he's not surprised prosecutors would consider a plea deal.

"Such plea deals where there are multiple defendants, especially where there's a driver and the driver's not the shooter, are actually more common than not", Robinson said. 

9NEWS has tried contacting the Denver District Attorney's office for a comment but, so far, has not been able to reach them.  

RELATED: Siblings lost to gun violence decades apart

RELATED: DA plans to charge 14-year-old as adult in fatal shooting of woman in her vehicle

RELATED: 32-year-old woman dies following Saturday shooting on I-25 & Colfax

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