Pueblo man pleads guilty to shooting, killing nephew, firing at other family members

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – A Pueblo man has pleaded guilty to shooting and killing his nephew in 2023 before firing additional shots at the victim's mother, stepfather and girlfriend, according to the 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office.

According to the DA's office, shortly after 1 a.m. on July 4, 2023, William Montoya shot and killed his nephew, 29-year-old Marcos Baca, at an apartment complex off Amherst Avenue before firing additional shots at Baca's mother and stepfather.

He then stole Baca's car and drove it to the home of Baca's girlfriend, where he shot at her house while she was inside with her children.

The DA's office said Montoya has pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and three counts of attempted second-degree murder – sentences that will run consecutively to each other.

Montoya will now serve a stipulated 78-year prison sentence followed by a mandatory period of 14 years' parole, an agreement that the DA's office said was reached after thorough discussions with Baca's family.

"This plea agreement functions essentially as a life sentence for Montoya due to his heinous actions," District Attorney Kala Beauvais said in a statement. "Our thoughts remain with Mr. Baca’s family, and we hope this disposition helps them find some measure of peace," District Attorney Kala Beauvais said in a statement.

This wasn’t Montoya’s first incident – 13 Investigates previously uncovered that Montoya has a history of violence against family members.

Back in 2021, he was arrested and charged with felony assault after court documents say he threatened to harm himself with a knife before throwing his own father out of a window.

Following that arrest, Montoya struck a plea deal with the DA's office to dismiss the felony assault charge against him, instead pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault.

Montoya was then sentenced to two years on supervised probation.

Just one week before he shot and killed Baca, 13 Investigates uncovered that a Pueblo County probation officer filed records asking for Montoya's probation to be revoked and for him to be sent back to jail, alleging that he'd failed to comply with multiple conditions of his probation.

Instead of jail time, Montoya was ordered to seek mental health help. He failed to provide verification that this help was ever received. A week later, he shot and killed Baca in southwest Pueblo.

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