In the late hours of a Thursday night in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, the life of 25-year-old Kristofer Dalton Armstrong was tragically cut short. On May 11, 2017, Armstrong was on the front porch of a residence on Kenwood Drive when he was shot in the upper torso. He was rushed to Jennie Stuart Medical Center, but succumbed to his injuries in the early morning of May 12, 2017.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a suspect, Sergio Del Angel.
Authorities began a search for Del Angel, who was wanted for questioning in connection with Armstrong's murder. He was subsequently arrested and faced a litany of charges, including murder, three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. The case then moved through the Christian County court system.
Initially, Del Angel rejected a plea deal, and a trial date was set. However, before the trial commenced, an agreement was reached. On June 5, 2020, Sergio Del Angel appeared in Christian Circuit Court and entered a guilty plea to an amended charge of manslaughter. As part of the plea agreement, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. During the sentencing, emotional victim impact statements were read from Armstrong's parents, who spoke of the devastating loss of their son. The acceptance of the plea deal brought a legal conclusion to the case, leaving a family to mourn the violent end to a young man's life.
