Editing Victor Cordova

'''Victor Cordova Jr.''' is a man who, when he was a 12-year-old boy, murdered 13-year-old Araceli Tena.<ref name=bill>[http://billingsgazette.com/news/world/boy-sent-to-juvenile-prison-for-school-shooting/article_0967cf4b-f9d3-550d-a3e4-19c58c538a93.html Boy sent to juvenile prison for school shooting] - Billings Gazette</ref> He shot her on November 19, 1999 at Deming Middle School before engaging in an armed standoff.<ref name=upi>[https://www.upi.com/Archives/2000/12/12/Teen-gets-two-years-for-school-killing/3975976597200/ Teen gets two years for school killing] - UPI</ref>

==Background==
Cordova suffered from depression and had expressed suicidal thoughts.<ref name=bill/> His mother died of cancer in February 1999 and he would subsequently lash out at other students who teased him over it.<ref name=ama>[http://amarillo.com/stories/112299/usn_shooter.shtml Deming classmate: Accused shooter brandished bullets] - Amarillo</ref> He lived in Palomas and had previously seen a doctor for mental health problems, but was off his medication.<ref name=ama/>

The day before the murder he showed off bullets to a classmate and told him he was going to be famous for shooting up the school.<ref name=ama/>

==Shooting==
Shortly after lunch on Friday November 19, 1999 Cordova shot Tena in the back of the head in the school's lobby.<ref name=ama/> He used a .22 caliber handgun<ref name=nyt>[http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/21/us/national-news-briefs-girl-shot-at-school-in-new-mexico-dies.html National News Briefs; Girl Shot at School In New Mexico Dies] - The New York Times</ref> which he took from home.<ref name=bill/> She was rushed to hospital, where she died on November 21.<ref name=nyt/> He then threatened school staff and responding police with the gun before giving himself up.<ref name=upi/>

==Aftermath==
The young killer claimed he wished to commit suicide and only shot Tena when his arm was bumped and the loaded gun went off.<ref name=upi/> Nonetheless, in April 2000 Cordova entered guilty pleas to one count of second-degree murder and eleven counts of aggravated assault.<ref name=bill/> It was thought he was New Mexico's youngest convicted murderer.<ref name=upi/>

He received the maximum sentence for a juvenile: a minimum of two years in prison, with a maximum of being held until his 21st birthday.<ref name=bill/><ref name=upi/> He could not be charged as an adult as he was under 14.<ref name=nyt/>

In December 2003 he was released to his aunt and uncle to live with them in Colorado but was subsequently seen in Palomas and in 2004, when he was 17, federal agents arrested him in Columbus for alleged drug smuggling.<ref>[https://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/apteen10-12-04.htm Teen Who Killed Classmate in '99 Arrested in Drug Smuggling Case] - Albuquerque Journal</ref> 
==References==
<references/>[[Category:List]]
[[Category:Male]]
[[Category:Murderer]]
[[Category:Modern Villains]]
[[Category:Living Villains]]
[[Category:Imprisoned]]
[[Category:Young villains]]
[[Category:School Shooters]]
[[Category:Vengeful]]
[[Category:Tragic]]
[[Category:Mentally Ill]]
[[Category:Suicidal]]
[[Category:Remorseful]]