HILLSBORO, Ore.- On July 22, 2019, Washington County Judge Eric Butterfield sentenced Ulizes Escobar to 116 months in prison. The first 75 months of that sentence fall under Measure 11 sentencing guidelines. On July 19, 2019, Escobar pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. This case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Andy Pulver.

On November 20, 2018, Escobar and his victim went to a home in Hillsboro with several minors. Escobar had smoked marijuana throughout the day and continued to do so at the residence. The group went to a bedroom where Escobar revealed two handguns he had brought to the residence. Escobar passed around one of the handguns to other members of the group. That gun, a revolver, was unloaded.

Escobar began to dry fire the unloaded revolver as he pointed it at several people in the room. As he was doing this, he had a second weapon, a semiautomatic handgun, in his left hand. He then pointed that second weapon at a wall near where the victim was standing and pulled the trigger. This weapon was loaded, and the bullet struck the victim. The victim died as a result of his wounds a short time later.

Escobar hid the unloaded revolver in the home. He and the minors present made false statements to police, claiming two unknown gunmen came to the house and shot the victim. Investigators quickly determined this narrative to be false and eventually the minors and Escobar told the true story of what led to the victim’s death.

Investigators at the Washington County Digital Forensics Laboratory searched Escobar’s phone and found several photos and videos depicting him using various firearms in an extremely unsafe manner. While evidence yielded during the investigation made clear that Escobar acted recklessly and with extreme indifference to the value of human life, it did not demonstrate that Escobar specifically intended to kill the victim.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the investigative work of the Hillsboro Police Department as well as that of staff at the Washington County Digital Forensics Laboratory for their assistance on this case.

Escobar has been transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.