MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — An 18-year-old Skagit County man convicted of murder in 2018 will have his case re-examined by a Skagit judge to determine whether he should have been tried as a juvenile.
The Skagit Valley Herald reports the state Court of Appeals ordered a judge to look at potential racial bias in the decision to move then 15-year-old Cristian Alexander Quijas’ trial to the adult court system.
Quijas pled guilty to shooting 16-year-old Angel Estrada, a rival gang member who was dating Quijas’ sister.
Due to Quijas’ age, it was up to a judge to decide if his trial should go to adult court.
If it’s ruled he was transferred inappropriately, it could vacate his conviction, but since he’s 18, it would go back to adult court anyway.