‘I hope he rots’: Defendant in I-15 killing sentenced to prison
A judge ordered a 10- to 25-year prison sentence Wednesday for a defendant who admitted to killing a man found dead in a pickup truck on Interstate 15.
Joseph De Luna, 28, pleaded guilty in August to a count of second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Jaime Zamora Gamez, whose body was discovered north of Cheyenne Avenue in the southbound lanes on the morning of March 2. Gamez, who was 21, had been shot six times.
“His life was cut short because of the defendant’s choices,” said Deputy District Attorney Sammy Lamb. “The defendant chose to use cocaine on the night of the murder, which led him to be in a paranoid state that ultimately caused him to take the life of Jaime.”
Defense attorney Josh Tomsheck told District Judge Michelle Leavitt the killing was “clearly senseless.”
“He is a very docile human being,” Tomsheck said of his client. “This crime is an aberration for him.”
De Luna and the victim had gone to a party. The victim was driving at twice the legal limit for alcohol and had methamphetamine in his system, the attorney said. De Luna was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.
Jeniffer Zamora, Gamez’s sister, said her brother was a kind person who did not harm anyone and did not deserve to have his life taken the way it was.
Guadalupe Zamora, another sister of the victim, said Gamez was generous, never missed work and prioritized his faith.
“He always wanted a better life for us,” she said.
De Luna apologized to the victim’s family, who packed one side of the courtroom.
“I do not accept his apology and I hate him and I hope he rots, here and in hell,” said Jeniffer Zamora.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.
