A change of plea hearing in connection with an August 2024 double homicide ended with an emotional outburst Tuesday from the murder victim’s mother.
“You’re dead! You’re dead, Isaiah! You’re not going to come out of prison,” Laurie Aragon shouted as she rushed toward Isaiah Brown, who was being guided out of the courtroom.
Her husband, Benjamin Salazar shouted, “Street justice!”
Brown, 23, admitted Tuesday to the Aug. 28, 2024, murders of Stoney Torres, 25, and Jessica Aragon, 28, at a home on County Road 4909 in Bloomfield, where Brown and Torres were in the middle of a drug deal.
Brown also admitted that on Aug. 29, 2024, he shot at two police officers while attempting to evade arrest. That happened at a mobile home in Waterflow in the area of County Road 6693.
In addition, Brown admitted that in October 2025, while being held in the San Juan County Detention Center he coerced a preteen girl to access and view pornographic material with him during video calls via FaceTime on a detention center tablet.
Under the plea deal, Brown admitted to two reduced counts of second-degree murder, two counts of attempt to commit second-degree murder and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The charges were enhanced by the fact that Brown admitted to using a gun during his crimes.
Aragon was unhappy with the plea and said she wanted Brown to go to trial and face two first-degree murder charges.
“To allow Isaiah who committed this double murder to escape a jury trial and receive a reduced sentence is very unfair. It undermines the value of my daughter and my nephew’s lives,” Aragon told the court. “I respectfully ask that you reject this plea. Allow this case to proceed to trial. Let the people decide.”
Aragon organized a July 6 protest at the San Juan County District Attorney’s Office, 335 South Miller Drive in Farmington. She also started a change.org petition, asking the public to weigh in on the plea being offered to Brown.
The online petition received 281 signatures as of July 7.
Protesters also stood Tuesday outside the 11th Judicial District Court in Aztec, demanding “No plea deals for murder.” They waved signs and shouted to passersby prior to the change of plea hearing.
Deputy District Attorney Christopher Spinner told the court the plea deal was “the right decision, even if it isn’t easy.”
Spinner expressed sympathy for the victims’ families, saying they lost their children even through it was “a drug deal that went wrong” with confusion over who drew their weapon first.
“Even if Stoney pulled his gun first, did he deserve to get shot eight times?” asked Jody Gardner, the mother of Stoney Torres. “Stoney was there to make money, that was it.”
The affidavit for arrest warrant stated that the shooting was the result of an argument over $80 and fentanyl. Brown told investigators that Torres drew his weapon first.
“Of course, a murderer is gonna say he pulled his gun first,” Gardner said.
“Jessica was an innocent bystander,” Aragon said. “Stoney was a good respectful young man. He did not deserve to be shot so many times.”
Brown reportedly fired multiple shots emptying his clip into both Torres and Aragon.
“My son’s life was stolen,” Gardner said. “My family has received a lifetime sentence of grief. I somewhat understand the reasoning, but I don’t think it’s fair.”
Aragon told the court she used to be an optimistic person, but that changed in August 2024, when Brown introduced hate into her life. “I hate August. I hate Wednesdays. My daughter and Stoney were murdered in cold blood that day. I hate the 28th of every month. I aspire to forgive, but I am not there.”
District Judge Bradley Keeler thanked the woman for speaking.
“I appreciate the strength and courage it takes to come up and address the court today,” Judge Keeler said, adding that he has thought about this case every day since it was added to his docket on March 25, when District Judge Stephen Wayne realized he knew Brown’s family and recused himself.
Judge Keeler said he has been “thinking about the consequences, the trial, the defendant and the attorneys involved,” and that included “when the prospect of a plea arises. It can be very difficult to consider a plea. It can be difficult to accept considering the circumstance.”
As a judge, the only way for Keeler to reject a plea would be “if the plea appears illegal or unlawful. I can also step in when the plea seems disproportionate – too harsh or too lenient,” he said.
He also pointed out that the plea provided a “guarantee” of conviction that would not be available should the case go to trial.
“I can sympathize with the victims’ families. I don’t see that there is a reason under the law to reject it,” he said, accepting the plea.
The agreement capped Brown’s sentence at 30 years in the Department of Corrections, followed by 16 years of parole.
However, Keeler did not proceed to sentencing and set an Oct. 6 sentencing hearing at the Aztec courthouse.
dmayeux@tricityrecordnm.com
