The Itzel Espinoza case is the July 3, 2021, shooting death of a 17-year-old in Phoenix, Arizona, in which one co-defendant, Jesus Javier Valle Padilla III, is serving 13 years for manslaughter, a 16-year-old received two years for abandoning her body, and the woman accused of firing the fatal shots, Lindsey Brianna Aguilar, remains a fugitive believed to be in Mexico.
What Happened on July 3, 2021
Around 5:15 a.m., Espinoza and 18-year-old Lindsey Brianna Aguilar got into a physical fight near 38th and Wier avenues in Phoenix. Court documents referred to “previous issues brewing” between them, but the origin of the dispute has not been made public.1FOX 10 Phoenix. Aftermath: Murdered in Phoenix Several people watched, including 19-year-old Jesus Javier Valle Padilla III, who recorded the altercation on his phone.2Arizona Republic. Jesus Padilla Sentenced to 13 Years in the Death of Itzel Espinoza
Espinoza broke away and locked herself in a parked car. Aguilar banged on the window and, according to witnesses, said, “on my momma’s life, I wanna kill you.” She asked Padilla for a gun. He pulled a 9mm handgun from his waistband and handed it to her. Aguilar fired multiple times through the front passenger window, striking Espinoza three times on the right side of her body.2Arizona Republic. Jesus Padilla Sentenced to 13 Years in the Death of Itzel Espinoza
Aguilar returned the gun to Padilla, and the group fled. A 16-year-old also present was directed to dispose of Espinoza’s body and drove the stolen Lexus containing her to an alley near 35th Avenue and Southern Avenue. Phoenix police were called there around 5:30 a.m. after a report of a person in a vehicle with gunshot wounds. Espinoza was pronounced dead at the scene.2Arizona Republic. Jesus Padilla Sentenced to 13 Years in the Death of Itzel Espinoza
Who Was Charged and What They Received
Padilla was arrested on July 16, 2021, on suspicion of first-degree murder by facilitation.3KTAR News. 2 Suspects Arrested, Phoenix Police Look for 3rd in Teen’s Fatal Shooting A Maricopa County grand jury indicted him on charges of first-degree murder and facilitation of first-degree murder. In January 2023, he signed a plea agreement reducing the charge to manslaughter; both original charges were dismissed. He admitted handing Aguilar the 9mm at her request and instructing the 16-year-old to drive off with the victim’s body.1FOX 10 Phoenix. Aftermath: Murdered in Phoenix
On July 6, 2023, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy Jay Thomason sentenced Padilla, then 22, to 13 years in prison for manslaughter, plus a concurrent 7.5-year sentence for an unrelated armed robbery committed roughly a month before the killing. The judge said he weighed Padilla’s youth, remorse, and cooperation against the severity of the crime, noting that Padilla left the scene without calling for help and helped cover up what happened.2Arizona Republic. Jesus Padilla Sentenced to 13 Years in the Death of Itzel Espinoza
The 16-year-old co-defendant was previously sentenced to two years for car theft and abandoning a dead body.2Arizona Republic. Jesus Padilla Sentenced to 13 Years in the Death of Itzel Espinoza
Accused Shooter Lindsey Aguilar Remains a Fugitive
Aguilar, accused of firing the shots that killed Espinoza, has never been apprehended. Investigators believe she fled to Mexico shortly after the killing and has moved between the United States and Mexico since.4AZFamily. Reward Offered for Information Leading to Arrest of Phoenix Murder Suspect In January 2025, Phoenix Police Sergeant Brian Bower said authorities believed she was in Mexico and the case remained open and active.1FOX 10 Phoenix. Aftermath: Murdered in Phoenix
She is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, 110 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Silent Witness lists the case as No. 2021-3746 and offers a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest. Tips go to 480-WITNESS, or, for Spanish speakers, to Testigo Silencioso at 480-TESTIGO.5Silent Witness. Homicide: Itzel Espinosa – 3800 W. Chambers Ave., Phoenix
Family Advocacy
Espinoza is survived by her mother, Elizabeth Diaz, her father, Eduardo Espinoza, her stepmother, Maricella Saldana, and an older brother, Emiliano Espinoza.2Arizona Republic. Jesus Padilla Sentenced to 13 Years in the Death of Itzel Espinoza The family has used media interviews to keep the case visible and to push for Aguilar’s capture. “I just want justice for my kid,” Diaz told FOX 10 Phoenix. “That’s the only thing that I ask.”6Oxygen. Itzel Espinoza, Aspiring Influencer, Found Shot Dead in Car
The case was featured in FOX 10 Phoenix’s investigative docuseries “Aftermath: Murdered in Phoenix,” which aired in January 2025 and renewed attention to the fact that the accused shooter is still at large.1FOX 10 Phoenix. Aftermath: Murdered in Phoenix