SAN ANTONIO – A man accused of taking part in a fatal, drug-inspired robbery that killed a sleeping 5-year-old girl and injured her stepfather has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after taking a plea deal.
Murjan Abdi pleaded no contest to murder and aggravated robbery charges in the death of Ana Garza, 5, in June 2016. Each charge carries a 35-year sentence to be carried out at the same time.
Investigators said Abdi and others were trying to steal some marijuana when they lured Carlos Aguilar out of his Pecan Valley home by claiming they had hit his car. During the robbery, Aguilar was shot multiple times, and Ana, his stepdaughter who was sleeping inside, was hit in the head.
Ana died a week later at the hospital after her family decided to take her off life support.
Abdi, who the district attorney's office said did not fire a gun during the robbery, was originally facing a capital murder charge.
Prosecutors said Abdi's cousin, Abdi Abdi, fired the fatal shot. He and another man, Christian Lopez, had previously pleaded no contest to murder and aggravated robbery charges. They are both serving sentences longer than life.