DENVER—A Denver man accused of firing a gun into the air and killing two people as he celebrated the new year in January 2008 has pleaded guilty in the deaths.
Pedro Cortez, 27, pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon to two counts of manslaughter, the Denver district attorney’s office said.
In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the remaining charges against him, including two counts of first-degree murder, child abuse resulting in death, possession of a weapon by a previous offender and illegal discharge of a weapon.
Authorities say Cortez fired a single bullet into a west Denver home at about 12:20 a.m. on New Year’s Day, 2008. The bullet tore through the front wall of the home and killed 47-year-old Rebecca Yanez of Fort Collins and her 11-year-old niece, Angelica Martinez of Denver, as they were sitting together inside.
Yanez and Angelica were attending a party at the home with about 10 other people.
Police said the bullet passed through the seated woman’s head and struck the girl in the side. Yanez died at the scene, and Angelica was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Cortez has told investigators he was aiming at a streetlight.
He faces a sentencing range of probation to 24 years in prison when he is sentenced July 10.
