Kayla Yolanda Huerta, a 17-year-old Latina from Wilmington, Los Angeles, was tragically shot and killed on June 18, 2018. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning in the 700 block of West Sepulveda Street in San Pedro. Kayla was inside a light-colored Lexus sedan, waiting for someone who lived in the area, when she was shot at close range by a person inside the vehicle.
The exact circumstances leading to the shooting remain unclear, but it was reported that the gunman became upset by something that was said. Kayla was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 2:30 a.m.
Following the incident, Luis Aurelio Morales, a 25-year-old man from Wilmington, was arrested on June 28, 2018, on suspicion of murder. Morales was charged with murder, assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon. According to court records, Morales was due back in court on August 24, 2018. The investigation revealed that Morales and Kayla did not know each other prior to that night and had met for the first time during the incident. Morales reportedly became upset during a conversation and shot Kayla before fleeing on foot.
In May 2024, Morales took a plea deal and pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 15 years in state prison. As part of the plea deal, charges of murder, assault with a firearm on a person, and felon in possession of a firearm were dismissed. Morales admitted to personally using a firearm during the incident, which was considered an aggravating factor in his sentencing. The plea deal brought some closure to the case, although the exact details of what transpired that night remain somewhat unclear.
Kayla's death was a devastating loss for her family and community. She was a high school student with plans to attend trade school to support her then-3-year-old daughter. Her family and friends held vigils in her memory, and a GoFundMe campaign was set up to help with funeral costs. The case highlights the tragic consequences of gun violence and the impact it has on young lives and their families.
