Josiah Ontiveros was 15 at the time of the 2025 mass shooting and will be eligible for parole after 25 years under New Mexico’s juvenile code

Organ Mountain News report

LAS CRUCES - Josiah Ontiveros, the youngest defendant convicted in connection with the 2025 Young Park mass shooting, was sentenced to 90 years in prison, the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced.

Josiah, now 17, was 15 at the time of the shooting, which killed three people and injured several others.

Prosecutors said one of the victims had already been shot several times and was lying on the ground when Josiah approached and shot the victim in the head.

“While the others were running away, he went forward and toward” the victim, District Attorney Fernando Macias said. “Ontiveros fired 17 times total that night, emptying his weapon.”

Josiah was prosecuted under New Mexico’s juvenile code and will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years, according to the district attorney’s office.

Macias said Josiah had also been involved in seven physical altercations at the Doña Ana County Detention Center while awaiting sentencing.

Josiah is one of four defendants convicted of three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting and is the third to be sentenced.

Tomas Rivas and Gustavo Dominguez previously received three consecutive life sentences, totaling 90 years each, according to prosecutors.

Nathan Rivas is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 9. Macias is seeking a 90-year sentence in that case as well.

The cases were prosecuted by Macias and Chief Deputy District Attorney Spencer Willson and investigated by the Las Cruces Police Department.