Sep. 4—A deal with prosecutors will allow a Santa Fe man accused in the fatal shooting of a radio DJ in 2021 to spend another year and three months on supervised probation in exchange for a plea of no contest to a count of voluntary manslaughter.
Edwin Anaya, 37, accepted the plea deal during a Wednesday hearing in state District Court. He was sentenced to a total of five years of supervised probation in the January 2021 killing of 40-year-old KSFR DJ Pete Gurule, but received credit for about three years and eight months he already has served.
A March 2023 jury trial in the case ended in a mistrial, with the jury acquitting Anaya of second-degree murder and deadlocking on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.
Jurors had voted 8-4 in favor of a guilty verdict for the manslaughter charge.
Prosecutors and law enforcement alleged Anaya had shot Gurule in the early morning hours after the two had been drinking at Gurule’s home in Santa Fe. Anaya left the house after the shooting and called 911. Police found him lying on a sidewalk, bloodied and intoxicated, court documents said.
Anaya argued he had shot Gurule in self-defense, claiming Gurule had sexually assaulted him and that the two had engaged in a fight.
Anaya’s plea Wednesday included a firearm enhancement, Deputy District Attorney Anthony Long noted.
If the case were to proceed to a second trial, Long told the court, prosecutors would prove Anaya unlawfully killed Pete Gurule during a quarrel “without malice” and “in the heat of passion.” If Anaya violates the terms of his probation, he could face a six-year prison sentence, Long said.
Several of Gurule’s family members addressed the court Wednesday, expressing their sorrow over the loss of Gurule — a father to two young boys — and their wish for a more stringent sentence.
Long said the plea deal was negotiated after “careful consideration” and after conversations with Gurule’s family, who he said “did not want to go through another trial.”
Anaya spoke at the end of the hearing.
“I’m sorry for the events of that night, and I apologize to the family,” Anaya said. “This is something that I’m going to have to live with and that they’re going to have to live with, and I’m sorry for that.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
