In the early morning hours of April 17, 2015, Jonathan W. Krueger, a 22-year-old male student at the University of Kentucky, was walking home near the university's campus in Lexington, Kentucky. His walk was tragically cut short in an act of violence that would later be described as a robbery gone wrong. Krueger, who was the photo editor for the university's student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel, was with a friend when they were confronted by three individuals.
The assailants, all
armed, attempted to rob Krueger and his friend. While his friend managed to escape the encounter, Krueger was shot multiple times. Police responded to reports of shots fired around 2 a.m. and found Krueger lying in the street. He was rushed to the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The investigation into the senseless killing quickly led to the identification and arrest of three suspects: Justin Delone Smith, who was 18 at the time; Efrain Diaz, Jr., who was 20; and Roman Gonzalez, who was 17. All three were known to be members of the Ambrose gang and had reportedly been looking to commit robberies that night. Before the fatal encounter with Krueger, they had allegedly attempted to rob two other people.
Years of legal proceedings followed the arrests. Initially, prosecutors considered seeking the death penalty for Smith and Diaz, but that was later taken off the table. Gonzalez was not eligible for the death penalty due to his age at the time of the crime. In March 2022, nearly seven years after Krueger's death, all three suspects pleaded guilty to various charges. Roman Gonzalez pleaded guilty to murder and two counts of robbery. Justin Delone Smith pleaded guilty to manslaughter, two counts of robbery, and evading police. Efrain Diaz, Jr. pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery.
In April 2022, the three men received their prison sentences. Roman Gonzalez was sentenced to a total of 35 years in prison. Justin Delone Smith received a total of 34 years, and Efrain Diaz, Jr. was sentenced to 20 years in prison. During the sentencing, both Diaz and Smith apologized to Krueger's family. The resolution of the court cases brought a long-awaited, albeit somber, conclusion for the family and friends of Jonathan Krueger, who was remembered as a beloved and talented young man with a passion for photography.
