Brothers sentenced to prison in teacher’s slaying

Two brothers who strangled a Henderson music teacher in a 2008 robbery were sentenced to prison Tuesday.

Jose Delatorre, 22, and Juan Aguirre, 21, pleaded guilty in October to second-degree murder, robbery and conspiracy for killing Basic High School teacher Matthew Cox.

Judge Valorie Vega sentenced Delatorre to 18 years to life in prison and Aguirre to 13 to 25 years in prison.

Prosecutor Robert Daskas said he recognized that both defendants had a tough upbringing; however, the tragic irony was that they killed the one person who tried to help them.

About 30 people attended the hearing in support of Cox, Daskas said, but no one spoke on behalf of the victim.

Both Delatorre and Aguirre expressed remorse for their actions. Delatorre asked for forgiveness from the victim's family, his lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Andrea Luem, said.

Delatorre and Aguirre, who were 18 and 17 years old respectively at the time of the killing, told Henderson investigators they choked Cox in his car after he drove them home the evening of Dec. 21, 2008. They then drove his body back to his house, where they placed it on a couch before stealing his car and electronics, including laptop computers and a Wii video game system, according to court documents.

Aguirre was a student of Cox's and may have been developing a romantic relationship with the 32-year-old teacher at the time, court documents show.