On March 13, 2025, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Dallas police responded to a call in the 1500 block of Exeter Avenue in the East Oak Cliff neighborhood. Upon arrival, officers discovered 14-year-old Adam Jay Gutierrez, a Hispanic male, with fatal injuries in an alley behind a residence. Dallas Fire-Rescue pronounced him dead at the scene. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the victim's identity as Adam Jay Gutierrez.
Investigations revealed that Adam Gutierrez had
arranged to meet 17-year-old Andrew Gallegos to sell a THC vape pen for $25. Accompanied by three female acquaintances, Gutierrez drove to the specified location. Gallegos informed them he needed to retrieve change from inside the house. After a brief interval, Gutierrez received a text message prompting him to approach the door. Moments later, a gunshot was heard, leading the three females to flee the area. Gutierrez's body was subsequently found in the alley, with his jewelry and clothing missing.
Further investigation led to the arrest of 17-year-old Juan Saucedo on May 4, 2025. Both Gallegos and Saucedo, who attended Molina High School alongside Gutierrez, were charged with capital murder of a person under 15 years old. Gallegos was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals' Task Force on March 31, 2025, and is held on a $1 million bond. Saucedo is detained on a $500,000 bond.
According to arrest affidavits, Gallegos disclosed that the motive for the murder stemmed from an incident in February 2025, where Gutierrez allegedly stole a firearm belonging to Saucedo. Saucedo purportedly offered Gallegos $200 to assist in robbing Gutierrez. An initial plan to confront Gutierrez at school was abandoned. Instead, during spring break, they orchestrated a meeting under the guise of purchasing a vape pen. On the day of the murder, Saucedo allegedly used a tactical shotgun to shoot Gutierrez in the abdomen, subsequently dragging his body into the alley and taking his belongings.
The case remains under investigation by the Dallas Police Department. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact Detective Timothy Johnston at 214-671-3523 or via email at referencing case number 035486-2025.
