Yuma man charged with murdering his friend testifies in his own defense, says shooting was accidental

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - A Yuma man charged with murdering his friend testified in his own defense Wednesday in court. He says it was an accident.

20-year-old Keith Simmons is charged with second-degree murder and unlawful discharge of a firearm in the August 2024 shooting death of his friend, 19-year-old Eduardo Dominguez.

Simmons told the court the shooting was accidental. He says the gun malfunctioned after he handed it to Dominguez. The friends were shooting the gun recreationally before the fatal incident.

"What other words would you use to describe how you felt that day?" the defense lawyer asked.

"I was in disbelief. It was a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from," Simmons answered.

What Simmons says was supposed to be a fun afternoon with friends turned into a deadly shooting no one saw coming.

When asked if he missed Dominguez, Simmons broke down crying and said, "Yes, sir."

If convicted, Simmons faces a possible sentence of 10 to 25 years in prison.

Simmons said, "As I was passing the gun to Eduardo, I don't know what happened, but the gun just went off the ground, and the shot went off."