Midland Teen Gets 30 Years for Pleading Guilty of Murder

A teenager in Midland was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty of committing first-degree murder back in 2022.

The 2022 Murder of Jayshun Anders

17-year-old Aaron Olivares Duran was recently charged with the murder of Jayshun Anders, 19, during an altercation that occurred in 2022 when Duran was just 15 years old.

According to evidence presented in the case, Midland Reporter-Telegram states that during the early morning hours of June 26th, 2022, Duran, along with three other juveniles, visited Anders' apartment.

During this time, Duran was hidden out of eyesight as he waited to attack. Once Anders opened the door, Duran and the others opened fire, striking Anders who later died from the gunshot wounds.

Midland PD collected 16 bullet casings from the crime scene. They also documented numerous bullet holes in Anders' walls, windows and doors following the attack.

One of the juveniles involved in the attack was later killed in a separate shooting incident.

Further investigation revealed over 9,000 pages of social media records indicating Duran and the other juvenile's intent to rob and/or murder Jayshun Anders.

Duran Tried as An Adult

The judge who overlooked Duran's case decided to deliver his punishment as if he were an adult.

According to the Texas Criminal Defense Group, a juvenile can be tried as an adult if the offense fell under certain criteria:

• A capital felony
• A first, second, or third-degree felony
• An aggravated controlled substance felony
• A state jail felony

The judge determined that, given Duran's maturity level along with the intensity of the crime, he should be tried as an adult.

17-year-old Aaron Duran was charged with first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison following his guilty plea.