Luna sentenced to 20-30 years

Monday in Hot Springs District Court, more than a year after he was initially arrested, Judge Bobbi Overfield sentenced Hugo A. Luna to 20-30 years with the Wyoming Department of Corrections on a felony charge of second-degree attempted murder.

The charge was lessened from first-degree, and a second felony county of kidnapping was dismissed when Luna entered into the agreement on May 13. The charges are from an April 13, 2018 incident; it was a Friday the 13th, and it certainly was an unlucky day for Luna and his victim.

According to court documents just after 8:30 a.m. on the date of the incident, the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Office was notified that a passerby had located an injured female subject near mile marker 15 on Highway 120. The driver transported her to Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital, and investigators learned she was assaulted, noting injuries to her face and neck.

Upon initial interview, she said she was assaulted by a Hispanic male she knew as Hugo Michael, but who was later identified as Hugo Armando Luna Aguero. She also provided a description of Luna and his vehicle, which was a yellow tractor trailer pulling a white cargo box trailer.

An agent with the Department of Criminal Investigation later interviewed the woman, during which he observed a laceration of about 10 centimeters to the middle of her forehead, and swelling and two lacerations to the right side of her forehead that appeared to be due to blunt force trauma and/or a sharp cutting instrument. She also had a laceration about 12 centimeters in length to the left side of her neck that appeared to be from a sharp cutting tool.

Also observed were ligature marks on the right side of the woman’s neck and hemorrhaging and blood spot in her right eye indicative of strangulation.

During her interview, the woman said she had been traveling with Luna for about a month. He had offered her $200 or $300, she said, to travel with him for eight days. Two days prior to the assault, she said, Luna stole all of her money but denied it. A day prior to the incident he stole her phone, which he also denied.

The woman became suspicious of Luna when he was not stopping in populated areas and not allowing her to use her phone. When she said she needed to go to the bathroom, he pulled over on the side of the road, never at a rest stop or gas station. She also noticed a substantial amount of blood on the mattress in the sleeping area of the tractor trailer, but when she asked Luna about it he became nervous and did not answer. She further noted he changed the settings on the truck’s GPS from English to Spanish, which she believes was an attempt to hide their location.

In the early morning of Friday, April 13, she asked Luna to stop so she could go to the bathroom. He pulled over, possibly close to miles marker 15 on Highway 120. As she exited, she noticed he entered the rear sleeper area of the truck. After getting back in, she said, he wrapped an unknown object around her throat from behind and began strangling her.

The woman said she lost consciousness and woke up in a ditch at mile marker 15. Realizing she was injured, she walked up the hill and flagged down a vehicle, whose driver stopped and transported her to the hospital. The driver also informed law enforcement of where he picked her up.

At about 9 a.m. the same day, the sheriff’s office and Wyoming Highway Patrol arrived at mile marker 15 and secured the area. The scene was processed by DCI, and agents noted tire impressions, footprints, drag marks and blood.

At 10:03 a.m. a tractor trailer matching the description provided was located in Powell and a male subject inside was identified as Luna. Though Luna denied having a female passenger in his truck, besides one he had dropped off in Salt Lake City, WHP troopers and Powell police officers observed he had a purse in his truck containing the victim’s license. There was also what appeared to be blood on his right shoe and potential blood splatter observed on the sleeves of the jacket he was wearing at the time of his arrest.

Prints at the crime scene matched Luna’s shoes and tire impressions matched the truck’s tires. The victim was also shown his picture and confirmed it was him.

Though Luna does know some English, interpreters were utilized during court proceedings. At sentencing, defense attorney Richard Hopkinson said April 13, 2018 was the worst day in Luna’s life and though he can’t change what he did, he’s certainly sorry for what happened and regrets it.

Hopkinson further added that Luna said he’s never done anything like this prior in his life; Luna expressed the same sentiment when he entered his plea in May. Hopkinson said it’s very difficult for Luna to talk about this and, as a result, his attorney was speaking for him.

Deputy County Attorney Curtis Cheney said this day was also the worst in the life of his victim. She got out to go to the bathroom, he said, in the only place Luna will let her. She then has an object wrapped around her neck and is strangled until she loses consciousness.

When she wakes, she finds she’s been drug down a hill, her face has been struck, her throat’s been cut, and she’s essentially been left for dead. Meanwhile, Luna has gotten back into his truck and continues on his journey. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan comes along and gets her to a hospital.

Cheney wished Luna had felt the same remorse for his actions when they happened that he did at sentencing, but pointed out it’s obvious he didn’t, as he never went for help and left her to die.

Fortunately, Cheney said, Luna didn’t succeed and she recovered from her injuries. He asked the court to accept the agreement for the 20-30 year sentence, as the community has to be protected from Luna.

Though the victim was contacted and informed about the sentencing, she did not appear in court and no statement from her was provided.

In his rebuttal, Hopkinson said the reason for the plea agreement is because Luna was concerned of what might happen to him if the case went to trial, especially as he was charged with first-degree attempted murder and was looking at a sentence of life without parole.

Judge Overfield noted Luna was not a good candidate for probation, as his crime carries a minimum 20-year sentence. Luna asked what possibility he might have of parole and if he would be eligible for good time, though Overfield said that is for the Department of Corrections to determine, based on his sentence and his behavior while imprisoned.