Topline: The shooting unfolded after a confrontation sparked by perceived disrespect at a birthday celebration, ending with one teen dead and another injured.
Published: July 24, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Derek Owen Cuellar-Torres (via Washington County Sheriff's Office)
HILLSBORO, OR — A Hillsboro teen who once bragged about becoming a cartel assassin has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2023 murder of a classmate during a gang-related ambush at a birthday party.
Derek Owen Cuellar-Torres, 19, pleaded guilty earlier this month to murder in the second degree with a firearm and attempted murder in the first degree with a firearm.
He was sentenced this week to life in prison with a minimum of 32 and a half years, according to a news release from the Washington County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said the incident unfolded on October 21, 2023, when the two victims in this case, aged 17 and 16 at the time, attended a birthday party in Hillsboro, Oregon.
The brother of the teen celebrating her birthday felt the victims were being “disrespectful,” and he subsequently contacted his friends, including Cuellar-Torres, who were members of a local gang, to help him confront the two victims.
The brother drove Cuellar-Torres and three others back to the brother’s home to confront the victims. Cuellar-Torres and one of the other teenagers were armed with handguns. The brother and another teen went inside and lured the victims and others outside, while Cuellar-Torres and a second teen hid in the shadows on the side of the house.
When the victims got outside, Cuellar-Torres and the second teenager opened fire on the victims. Two people were struck by gunfire. The 17-year-old victim, Jesus Copado-Oropeza, died from his wounds, and the other victim suffered non-fatal injuries.
Cuellar-Torres, victims, and other involved teens knew each other from attending Hillsboro High School. A total of 22 shell casings were recovered at the scene.
Hillsboro police launched an investigation and quickly identified Cuellar-Torres and the second teenager as suspects in the shooting. Investigators confronted them, and they both admitted to their involvement.
Investigators later found text messages between Cuellar-Torres and his gang associates where Cuellar-Torres complained that he was “losing time” and wanted to “catch a body” before he turned 18.
In another chat, Cuellar-Torres’s gang associate warned him that he would get charged as an adult for committing murder, but Cuellar-Torres dismissed those concerns, saying he would blame alcohol and drugs for his decisions and would avoid punishment.
In yet another chat, Cuellar-Torres bragged about murdering Jesus Copado-Oropeza and claimed that he could now become a cartel assassin.
Cuellar-Torres was less than 30 days from his 18th birthday at the time of the crime, but pursuant to juvenile justice reforms in 2019 (SB 1008), Cuellar-Torres was required to be initially prosecuted as a juvenile. Cuellar-Torres was transferred to adult court for prosecution after a waiver proceeding. However, the juvenile justice reforms will make Cuellar-Torres eligible for parole consideration after 15 years and conditional release after serving half of his sentence. SB 1008 does not give an elected judge the authority to limit or delay parole eligibility or conditional release consideration.
Cuellar-Torres will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence at the Oregon Youth Authority.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Published: July 24, 2025 8:00 am ET
Derek Owen Cuellar-Torres (via Washington County Sheriff's Office)
HILLSBORO, OR — A Hillsboro teen who once bragged about becoming a cartel assassin has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2023 murder of a classmate during a gang-related ambush at a birthday party.
Derek Owen Cuellar-Torres, 19, pleaded guilty earlier this month to murder in the second degree with a firearm and attempted murder in the first degree with a firearm.
He was sentenced this week to life in prison with a minimum of 32 and a half years, according to a news release from the Washington County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said the incident unfolded on October 21, 2023, when the two victims in this case, aged 17 and 16 at the time, attended a birthday party in Hillsboro, Oregon.
The brother of the teen celebrating her birthday felt the victims were being “disrespectful,” and he subsequently contacted his friends, including Cuellar-Torres, who were members of a local gang, to help him confront the two victims.
The brother drove Cuellar-Torres and three others back to the brother’s home to confront the victims. Cuellar-Torres and one of the other teenagers were armed with handguns. The brother and another teen went inside and lured the victims and others outside, while Cuellar-Torres and a second teen hid in the shadows on the side of the house.
When the victims got outside, Cuellar-Torres and the second teenager opened fire on the victims. Two people were struck by gunfire. The 17-year-old victim, Jesus Copado-Oropeza, died from his wounds, and the other victim suffered non-fatal injuries.
Cuellar-Torres, victims, and other involved teens knew each other from attending Hillsboro High School. A total of 22 shell casings were recovered at the scene.
Hillsboro police launched an investigation and quickly identified Cuellar-Torres and the second teenager as suspects in the shooting. Investigators confronted them, and they both admitted to their involvement.
Investigators later found text messages between Cuellar-Torres and his gang associates where Cuellar-Torres complained that he was “losing time” and wanted to “catch a body” before he turned 18.
In another chat, Cuellar-Torres’s gang associate warned him that he would get charged as an adult for committing murder, but Cuellar-Torres dismissed those concerns, saying he would blame alcohol and drugs for his decisions and would avoid punishment.
In yet another chat, Cuellar-Torres bragged about murdering Jesus Copado-Oropeza and claimed that he could now become a cartel assassin.
Cuellar-Torres was less than 30 days from his 18th birthday at the time of the crime, but pursuant to juvenile justice reforms in 2019 (SB 1008), Cuellar-Torres was required to be initially prosecuted as a juvenile. Cuellar-Torres was transferred to adult court for prosecution after a waiver proceeding. However, the juvenile justice reforms will make Cuellar-Torres eligible for parole consideration after 15 years and conditional release after serving half of his sentence. SB 1008 does not give an elected judge the authority to limit or delay parole eligibility or conditional release consideration.
Cuellar-Torres will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence at the Oregon Youth Authority.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
‘I Want to Catch a Body’: Teen’s Chilling Texts Preceded Fatal Birthday Party Shooting
The shooting unfolded after a confrontation sparked by perceived disrespect at a birthday celebration, ending with one teen dead and another injured.
By Jacob Charles
Published: July 24, 2025 8:00 am ET
Derek Owen Cuellar-Torres (via Washington County Sheriff's Office)
HILLSBORO, OR — A Hillsboro teen who once bragged about becoming a cartel assassin has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2023 murder of a classmate during a gang-related ambush at a birthday party.
Derek Owen Cuellar-Torres, 19, pleaded guilty earlier this month to murder in the second degree with a firearm and attempted murder in the first degree with a firearm.
He was sentenced this week to life in prison with a minimum of 32 and a half years, according to a news release from the Washington County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said the incident unfolded on October 21, 2023, when the two victims in this case, aged 17 and 16 at the time, attended a birthday party in Hillsboro, Oregon.
The brother of the teen celebrating her birthday felt the victims were being “disrespectful,” and he subsequently contacted his friends, including Cuellar-Torres, who were members of a local gang, to help him confront the two victims.
The brother drove Cuellar-Torres and three others back to the brother’s home to confront the victims. Cuellar-Torres and one of the other teenagers were armed with handguns. The brother and another teen went inside and lured the victims and others outside, while Cuellar-Torres and a second teen hid in the shadows on the side of the house.
When the victims got outside, Cuellar-Torres and the second teenager opened fire on the victims. Two people were struck by gunfire. The 17-year-old victim, Jesus Copado-Oropeza, died from his wounds, and the other victim suffered non-fatal injuries.
Cuellar-Torres, victims, and other involved teens knew each other from attending Hillsboro High School. A total of 22 shell casings were recovered at the scene.
Hillsboro police launched an investigation and quickly identified Cuellar-Torres and the second teenager as suspects in the shooting. Investigators confronted them, and they both admitted to their involvement.
Investigators later found text messages between Cuellar-Torres and his gang associates where Cuellar-Torres complained that he was “losing time” and wanted to “catch a body” before he turned 18.
In another chat, Cuellar-Torres’s gang associate warned him that he would get charged as an adult for committing murder, but Cuellar-Torres dismissed those concerns, saying he would blame alcohol and drugs for his decisions and would avoid punishment.
In yet another chat, Cuellar-Torres bragged about murdering Jesus Copado-Oropeza and claimed that he could now become a cartel assassin.
Cuellar-Torres was less than 30 days from his 18th birthday at the time of the crime, but pursuant to juvenile justice reforms in 2019 (SB 1008), Cuellar-Torres was required to be initially prosecuted as a juvenile. Cuellar-Torres was transferred to adult court for prosecution after a waiver proceeding. However, the juvenile justice reforms will make Cuellar-Torres eligible for parole consideration after 15 years and conditional release after serving half of his sentence. SB 1008 does not give an elected judge the authority to limit or delay parole eligibility or conditional release consideration.
Cuellar-Torres will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence at the Oregon Youth Authority.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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