Yuma man set for murder trial next month changes to guilty plea, still faces maximum 25 years

Anthony Guillen is charged with first-degree premeditated murder from a 2019 shooting

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - One of the two men charged in connection to a fatal shooting in 2019 pleaded guilty in Yuma County Superior Court on Thursday, just one month before standing trial.

Anthony Guillen, 31, was set for jury trial in September 2022, facing a first-degree murder conviction, along with several other charges.

But in the 11th hour, Guillen decided to accept the state's plea offer and plead guilty to amended count 1 - second-degree murder, which also dismisses the other five charges.

In pleading guilty, Guillen has agreed to accept a lesser sentence than he would have if he was convicted at trial. Still, the Yuma man could face up to 25 years behind bars if he's handed the maximum sentence.

Either way, Guillen will spend a good chunk of time in prison due to the written plea agreement stating he would serve "no less than 16 years" which is the presumptive term.

Guillen, along with Gabriel Aragon, were arrested and charged in August 2020 in connection to the murder of Manuel Gonzalez-Bravo, who was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside a car at a Chevron gas station in Yuma back in March 2019.

The other suspect, Gabriel Aragon, is scheduled for a status hearing next week after a delay in his case due to a change in attorney.

Guillen will appear back in court and await his sentence on September 8th.