Guilty Plea In 2018 Shooting Death Of Centreville Teen: Report

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — A 19-year-old from Fairfax City pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder in the 2018 shooting death of a Centreville High School student, according to a media report. Uriel Espinosa Cruz made his plea in Fairfax County Circuit Court in the killing of 17-year-old Matthew Ortega, the Washington Post reported.

On the morning of Feb. 14, 2018, Ortega was found lying in the street in the 13000 block of Jeb Stuart Square in Centreville. He had been shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Under a plea deal, Espinosa Cruz admitted in court that he accidentally shot Ortega during a marijuana deal that went bad, the Post reported.

A Fairfax Circuit prosecutor said in court that Espinosa Cruz had told police that he, Ortega and two other people had traveled to Jeb Stuart Square to conduct the drug deal, the Post reported.

However, an argument broke out, and Espinosa Cruz pulled out his handgun. He told police detectives that the firearm accidentally went off when Ortega put his hands up to block it, the Post reported.

Espinosa Cruz is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 15, and faces between five and 40 years in prison.