A Colorado courtroom was filled with emotion this week as 15-year-old Remy Cordova stood before the family of a woman he was convicted of killing, offering an apology — but stopping short of accepting blame. “I’m deeply sorry for the pain you’re going through,” he said, clad in an orange jumpsuit and shackles. “But I cannot take responsibility.” The statement drew audible gasps and tears from those in the gallery.
According to investigators, the incident occurred last year when Cordova, then 14, was speeding through a Denver intersection in a stolen vehicle along with several other known gang members. As they encountered 32-year-old Pamela Cabrioli, who was driving home with her young child, tensions flared. Witnesses say Cordova, trying to impress his peers, pulled a firearm from under his seat and fired multiple rounds into Cabrioli’s car.
When authorities arrived, they found Cabrioli deceased in the driver’s seat. Her child, still strapped into a car seat, was physically unharmed but crying next to their mother’s lifeless body. The killing shocked local residents and launched a major search for the teen suspects involved.
Cordova was apprehended within days. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder, citing his ties to gang activity, the use of a stolen vehicle, and the firearm involved as evidence of premeditated violence. The defense urged the court to treat him as a juvenile, pointing to his age and potential for reform. Throughout the trial, Cordova insisted he was not the “cold-blooded killer” described by the prosecution.
However, jurors found him guilty on all charges. At sentencing this week, Cordova reiterated his remorse but again stopped short of full accountability. An appeal was submitted ahead of the hearing.
Judge Marla Henderson, who presided over the case, rejected the appeal and handed down a life sentence without the possibility of parole. “You chose to carry a weapon, to shoot into a vehicle with a child inside, and to run,” she stated. “Your youth does not negate your decisions.”
The ruling — a rare adult sentence for someone so young — has sparked strong reactions. Advocates for the Cabrioli family believe the sentence reflects the severity of the act and honors the victim’s life. Others argue that sentencing a 15-year-old to life without parole denies the possibility of redemption and contradicts modern approaches to juvenile justice.
Still, Cabrioli’s loved ones say the decision provides some peace. “Pamela’s gone, and nothing can change that,” a family member said outside court. “But at least there’s justice, and her child will grow up knowing her life meant something.”
