Luis Cruz, the Manson teen accused of stabbing a fellow orchard worker to death pleaded guilty at a hearing Monday morning and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

 

Cruz, who is 17 years-old, said he was drunk at the late-night gathering when he killed Amilcar Ramirez Lopez at a Manson orchard cabin.

 

According to Chelan County Sheriff Deputies, Cruz was asked to leave the cabin party but returned after fetching a knife from his own nearby cabin and forced his way in. Ramirez tried to defend himself with a metal pipe, but suffered two chest wounds in the attack, and died in route to the hospital.

 

ChelanCounty Deputy Prosecutor, Roy Fore, said Cruz’s age was a factor in considering the plea agreement.

 

Cruz is expected to be transferred into the state prison system as early as tomorrow.

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