Christian Torres Pleads Guilty To Murder Charge; Incarceration Location Now An Issue

A Sheridan County teen has admitted to killing his adoptive father, but where he will be incarcerated has become an issue.

Christian Torres has pleaded guilty to an amended charge of 2nd degree murder (originally charged with 1st degree murder).

He says in late July 2021, he killed 47-year old Edgar Jones at a house in Dayton.

Sheridan County prosecutors charged him as an adult, and as part of a plea deal, they will seek a prison sentence of no more than 20-to-23 years.

Second degree murder is normally punishable by no less than 20 years in prison and an offender could receive a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Torres will be officially sentenced at a later date, however if the judge rejects the plea deal, he is not allowed to withdraw his guilty plea.

A few hours before Torres entered his guilty plea, both prosecution and defense lawyers were informed that the juvenile detention facility in Gillette will no longer accept Torres.

To further compound the issue, all other juvenile detention facilities in Wyoming either won’t accept Torres, or are at capacity.

A judge has ruled that Torres is not allowed to stay at the Sheridan County Detention Center, because he is a minor, but the judge has no jurisdiction in terms of ordering which juvenile detention facility Torres must stay at.

The issue of Torres’ incarceration location until he is sentenced, falls into the hands of the Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office.