ATHENS, Ga. – The final defendant involved in a gang-related drive-by shooting that tragically claimed the life of 3-year-old Kyron Smith two years ago in Athens has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to reduced charges. Julian Cubillos was the last of four defendants to have his case resolved in connection with the March 8, 2024, incident.
Cubillos Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter
Court records indicate that Julian Cubillos pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, with two murder charges being consolidated. He received a sentence of 20 years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of probation. Additionally, Cubillos pleaded guilty to multiple counts of aggravated assault and violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.
The other three defendants in the case – Dakious Echols, Jayden Brown, and Desmontrez Mathis – previously pleaded guilty or were convicted of murder and were all sentenced to life in prison.
Cooperation with Law Enforcement
According to a spokesperson for Attorney General Chris Carr, Cubillos provided “significant cooperation with law enforcement.” This included offering trial testimony against the co-defendants who were directly responsible for firing the guns that killed Kyron. As a result of his cooperation, despite not pulling the trigger himself, Cubillos was sentenced to two decades behind bars.
The Tragic Incident
Kyron Smith was shot while sitting on a couch inside his home on March 8, 2024. His older brother was also present when gunfire erupted outside their residence. An 11Alive investigation revealed that the violence was part of an ongoing gang war that has terrorized neighborhoods and endangered young lives in the community.
Mother’s Relief and Continued Struggle
In February, when the guilty pleas of two other defendants were announced and Mathis was convicted following a jury trial, Kyron’s mother, Shanita Smith, expressed her relief, stating that the outcomes were an answer to her prayers.
“All these guilty verdicts, it was just like an answer to all my prayers, that I’ve been waiting for for so long,” Smith said at the time.
She also shared that her oldest son, who was the intended target of the gang shooting, continues to struggle with the trauma of the event. “He’s hurting as well knowing that, you know, the words he chooses to use at that moment, ultimately caused strangers to show up at your house and to do that,” Smith explained. “It was senseless. It still don’t make sense.”
Hopes for Community Change
Shanita Smith believes that relocating her family away from Athens has been beneficial. She hopes that addressing gang violence and peer pressure will bring about positive change for other children in the community.
“I’ve seen that moving away from Athens has really changed all of my children including my oldest, and I feel like the gang war in Athens and so much peer pressure on the younger generation, if that is tackled, we’ll see a big difference in Athens,” she stated.
This case highlights the devastating impact of gang violence on innocent lives and the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice.
Source: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/trials/kyron-smith-drive-by-shooting-death-case-final-defendant-julian-cubillos-pleads-guilty-gets-20-years-in-prison/85-902f41a4-2e2d-4e0c-80c5-36b1c884c81c
