ST. GEORGE — A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty in 5th District Court on Tuesday to rape and murder in the Jan. 10 death of a St. George girl.
A juvenile court judge earlier certified Carlos Hernandez to be tried as an adult. His case was moved from the 5th District Juvenile Court system to the district court on Dec. 3, which also allowed the media to publish the boy's identity.
A plea agreement between Washington County prosecutors and Hernandez avoided a public trial, said deputy county attorney Ryan Shaum. Defense attorney Alan Boyack said Hernandez agreed to the plea deal after prosecutors dropped a first-degree felony charge of aggravated sexual assault.
Hernandez admitted in court on Tuesday that he raped and killed 15-year-old Keely Amber Hall at a neighborhood park in St. George. He was 14 years old at the time and had just met Hall earlier that day.
A St. George Police detective testified during a juvenile court preliminary hearing that two other boys cutting through the park found Hall's partially nude and battered body near playground equipment. A pathologist's report stated Hall had been raped and then strangled to death.
Hernandez answered, "Yes," when Judge James L. Shumate asked if he believed the state's evidence would be enough to convict him of the charges he faced.
Hall's father, Troy Hall, spoke during the hourlong proceeding, saying he loved his daughter "very, very much."
"I would ask Carlos why, if it would do any good," he said. "But I'm sure his answer would make no sense to me. I don't know why people hurt other people like that."
His daughter was an "awesome person," who made people laugh and "brought their spirits up while they were down," Hall said.
The crime occurred at Dixie Downs Park not far from where two of Keely Hall's sisters live and where a younger sister attends elementary school, he said.
"Carlos left a memory of the brutal rape and murder in the minds of Keely's sisters. He left a nightmare in their mind," Hall said, adding he hoped that Carlos' actions would weigh "very, very heavily" on him and that he could find a way to become a better person while he is in prison.
Keely's mother, Julie Johnson, said through sobs that she "truly, truly loved" her daughter and missed her with all her heart.
Boyack said although his client had been counseled not to talk about the crime, that didn't mean he wasn't full of remorse.
"Carlos is doing today, which is shallow at best, what he can do. He is ready to take the judgment of the court," said Boyack.
The boy's mother also addressed the judge through a Spanish-language interpreter, crying as she begged the Hall family to try and find a way to forgive her and her son.
"I don't understand how he could have done this," she said. "I only ask you to forgive my son for the damage he has caused."
Shumate sentenced Hernandez to an indeterminate term of 15 years to life on the first-degree felony murder charge and a consecutive term of five years to life on the first-degree felony rape count. A restitution fine of $15,000 was also imposed.
Hernandez will be moved to the Utah State Prison within the next five days, his attorney said.
"We have had extensive conversations with the Department of Corrections about him. He's the only inmate of that age," Boyack said. "They're prepared to do whatever they have to do to take into consideration his age. I doubt he'll be put with the general population."
E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com