Texas Woman Sentenced to 25 Years for Telling 12-Year-Old Nephew to Shoot Sonic Employee During Parking Lot Dispute
KEENE, Texas — A 20-year-old Texas woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for ordering her 12-year-old nephew to shoot and kill a Sonic Drive-In employee after her brother was confronted for urinating in the restaurant’s parking lot, according to the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office.
The Deadly Incident at Sonic Drive-In
The shooting happened on May 13, 2023, outside a Sonic Drive-In in Keene, located about 40 miles southwest of Dallas.
Authorities said Ashley Jasmin Marmolejo was in a car with her brother, Angel Gomez, and her 12-year-old nephew when Gomez decided to relieve himself in the parking lot. Matthew Davis, a 32-year-old Sonic employee, confronted Gomez and told him to stop, leading to a heated argument that quickly became physical.
From the car, Marmolejo reportedly handed the boy a gun and told him to “go” shoot Davis. The child retrieved an AR-style rifle and opened fire, striking Davis multiple times.
Officers and medics rushed to the scene, but Davis was pronounced dead at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital after being airlifted from the restaurant.
Child and Brother’s Roles in the Crime
Police said the 12-year-old was convicted of murder later that year and sentenced to 12 years in a juvenile facility. His name has not been released due to his age.
Marmolejo’s brother, Angel Gomez, was initially charged with murder as well but later had those charges dropped. He still faces separate misdemeanor offenses related to the confrontation.
Prosecutors Reopen Case to Secure Murder Conviction
Initially, Marmolejo was not charged with murder, but after a new district attorney took office in Johnson County, the case was re-examined and brought before a grand jury.
She was indicted earlier this year and later pleaded guilty to murder, receiving 25 years in the Texas Department of Corrections as part of a plea agreement.
Prosecutors said her influence over the 12-year-old was “the driving force behind the murder.”
“This woman handed a gun to a child and told him to kill another human being,” the DA’s office said in a statement. “She bears the full moral and legal responsibility for Matthew Davis’s death.”
Victim’s Family Finds Closure
Matthew Davis’s mother, Leigh Miller, said the sentence brought some sense of relief after years of anguish.
“This is justice that we’ve been waiting for,” Miller told NBC DFW. “Of course, with a death like this, you want life in prison, but this is a good sentence, and we will continue to fight to keep her locked behind bars even when she comes up for parole.”
Davis leaves behind a 10-year-old son. A GoFundMe campaign organized by coworkers of his mother has raised over $29,000 to support the family’s legal and living expenses.
Community Shock and Legal Aftermath
The shooting shocked residents of Keene, a small community known for its quiet neighborhoods and family-friendly atmosphere. Sonic employees held a candlelight vigil for Davis, remembering him as “a kind man who never wanted trouble.”
Marmolejo will be eligible for parole after serving half her sentence, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
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