Tristan James Fenton, a 15-year-old Caucasian male, was at his home in Meridian, Idaho, on the evening of October 17, 2015, with a group of friends, including his best friend, 18-year-old David Provencio. Provencio had been living with Tristan's family for about a year and was considered like a son to Tristan's mother. The friends were in a bedroom, drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana, when two handguns were brought out.
Initially, the incident was reported to the police as a suicide.
However, upon investigation, the truth of the evening's tragic events came to light. David Provencio had pointed a Glock 19 handgun at Tristan's head and, believing it to be unloaded, pulled the trigger. The gun discharged, and the bullet struck Tristan in the head. He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. After initially claiming Tristan had shot himself, Provencio and other witnesses eventually admitted what had happened, leading to Provencio's arrest.
David Provencio was charged with involuntary manslaughter and the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. Despite the immense loss, Tristan's family, including his mother, expressed that they did not blame Provencio, viewing the shooting as a tragic accident and continuing to consider him a part of their family. In December 2015, Provencio pleaded guilty to the charges. He was later sentenced to up to 10 to 15 years in prison, with eligibility for parole after five years.
