A teen has been sentenced to life in prison for shooting and killing 17-year-old Daniel Rodriguez-Lopez at the DeSoto County Fair in 2023.
Ryan Watson Jr. was 15 years old at the time of the shooting. According to reports filed in the case, several witnesses identified him as the gunman who killed Rodriguez-Lopez.
There were allegedly two videos in evidence; one video captured the shooting happening, and another showed Watson Jr. holding a semiautomatic handgun.
According to the State Attorney's Office 12th Judicial Circuit, Watson was convicted of second-degree murder with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm in December.
The crimes carry a maximum possible sentence of 25 years to life in prison with a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years.
Watson was sentenced to life in the Department of Corrections for second-degree murder, followed by just over 20 years, running consecutively on carrying a concealed firearm.
"This was an unfortunate situation involving two juveniles at the DeSoto County Fair," Assistant State Attorney Cliff Ramey said via news release. "Both families' lives are forever changed as a result of this senseless act. We are satisfied with the verdict and justice was served for the victim's family."