NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A New Mexico man was sentenced to 21 years in prison for murdering a man and setting fire to the man’s body.
Gilbert John Jr. was brought a stolen car on July 1, 2019, and was told to “get rid of” the person locked in the trunk. John Jr. and the individual who brought him the car drove around smoking meth before stopping in a remote area using back roads, according to court documents.
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When the victim tried to escape from the trunk, John Jr. stabbed the victim repeatedly with a machete and slammed the trunk door on him. After driving the car to a home and leaving it for days, John Jr. later towed the car to a remote area and set it on fire with the body inside.
John Jr. was sentenced to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. After completing his term of imprisonment, he will be required to serve five years of supervised release.
