Littleton Man Sentenced To 32 Years For Boy's Murder

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO — A man who murdered a 13-year-old boy in Englewood was sentenced to 32 years in prison, the Arapahoe County district attorney announced Monday.

Antonio Pulido Mendez, 19, of Littleton, pleaded guilty Aug. 3 to one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder in the shooting death of Jonah Hirsh, the DA said.

Mendez and three others met Hirsh and his older cousin in the Englewood alley on July 14, 2019, prosecutors said. The 13-year-old and his cousin believed they were going to sell drugs to the four, but Mendez set up the deal with the intent to rob Hirsh and his cousin, according to the DA's office.

Mendez used a 9mm handgun to shoot Hirsh in the arm and the chest, and his cousin in the neck, the DA said. Hirsh died, and his cousin survived.

“This defendant made reckless, stupid decisions,” said Andrew Steers, chief deputy district attorney. “He chose to bring a loaded gun to a robbery and pull the trigger. Today he faces the consequences for his actions.”

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Hirsh’s family was in court for the sentencing. When the cousin’s frantic 911 call was played, the cousin and Hirsh’s mother stepped out of the courtroom, the DA's office said.

“The intent was never to buy drugs – it was to rob the victims, who were not armed,” said Daniel Warhola, senior deputy district attorney, during the sentencing.

“Jonah was shot through both lungs and his heart. What this defendant did is not allowed, cannot be tolerated and must be punished.”

The others who were with Mendez during the shooting were Marcus Antonio Montez, Jesus Perez Medrano and a juvenile defendant, who was sentenced to seven years in the Youthful Offender System.

Montez, who planned the crime, was sentenced in 2020 to 20 years in prison, the DA said. Medrano was sentenced in 2020 to 18 years in prison.