Yuma man charged in connection with Oregon woman’s death
News 11's Adonis Albright speaks with friends and family of the victim
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - 21-year-old Jorge Alan Aguilar-Hernández appeared in Yuma County Justice Court on Tuesday, where he was charged with premeditated murder per domestic violence in the first-degree.
Prosecutors claim Aguilar-Hernández admitted to investigators he planned to murder 22-year-old Kirstion Fish of Oregon after he picked her up from Phoenix International Airport on November 2. According to prosecutors, Aguilar-Hernández claimed Kirstion owed him $5,000 and ultimately decided to end her life.
Kirstion's father, Shawn Fish, tells news 11 that Aguilar-Hernández offered his daughter a job as a diesel mechanic in Yuma. She took him up on his offer, and wanted to pursue this new opportunity. Her body was later found in Yuma County between County 18th Street and Avenue 1E last week.
Rylee Moore, a close friend, said Kirstion was an amazing person.
"She was a very loving, genuine person. Always thought of other people before she thought of herself", said Moore.
Moore was one of Kirstion's close friends. She helped her out of a tough living situation in Oregon, and helped her book a flight to Phoenix to meet Aguilar-Hernández.
Shawn said he was planning a trip with his daughter next summer in Washington, and is still trying to process the news.
"Right now, I'm holding it in as good as a parent can be right now. I'll find my way, I'll put purpose into what she was doing", said Fish.
Kirstion was also well-known in the car scene community in Oregon. It's something she bonded over with her dad ever since she was a little girl.
"She loved working on diesels... the sound, the power... everything. She was just head over heels."
A hobby Kirstion eventually pursued as a career, where she later attended a vocational training school in Phoenix about two years ago, where she first met Aguilar-Hernández.
Kirstion also had a knack for photography, especially photographing cars. Her father shared some of those pictures with News 11.
"She's got photos out there in the car community that are just phenomenal."
If convicted, Aguilar-Hernández could spend life behind bars or possibly even the death penalty. His next court appearance is November 25.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to bring Kirstion's body to her father Shawn in Washington state. A memorial honoring her memory will be held in the coming days.
Yuma Police Department tells News 11 that the investigation remains ongoing.
