Oscar Miguel Aguilera, a 24-year-old Hispanic male, was tragically shot and killed on January 19, 2015, in Salisbury, North Carolina. Aguilera, a father of two, worked at DJs Restaurant along with his common-law wife, Kenia Corrales. On the night of January 18, Aguilera stayed behind at the restaurant to hang out with friends after Corrales left around 11 p.m. He was later dropped off at a nearby shopping center and walked home to the Lakewood Apartment complex.
Aguilera's body was discovered the next morning, lying between two apartment buildings. He had been shot twice, once in the hand and once in the forehead between the eyes.
The investigation into Aguilera's death led to the arrest of Jayquan Keyon Hamilton, a 19-year-old African American male, who was charged with second-degree murder. According to court statements, a witness reported that Hamilton and the witness were outside smoking when Hamilton spotted Aguilera. The witness heard gunshots and saw Hamilton return, claiming he had shot Aguilera. The witness did not inform the police until three months after the shooting. Hamilton's cellphone records placed him in the area at the time of the shooting, and the witness's testimony was crucial in the case against him.
Hamilton accepted an Alford plea, which means he did not admit guilt but acknowledged that the prosecution had enough evidence to likely secure a conviction. He was sentenced to 94 to 125 months in prison, with credit for the nearly two years he had already spent in the county jail. The motive for the shooting was never clearly established, and Hamilton maintained his innocence, stating he was not at the scene and did not commit the crime. The prosecution did not address the weapon used in the shooting, but the witness claimed Hamilton had a gun. The case highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement in gathering evidence and securing witness cooperation in such incidents.
