A change of plea hearing for Arturo Mondragon-Lopez Jr., who was arrested in October 2023 following the fatal shooting of Homer resident Brianna Hetrick, 22, is scheduled for Feb. 5.
According to previous reporting by the Peninsula Clarion, Homer police responded with Alaska State Troopers to reports of a shooting on Adams Drive on Oct. 28, 2023, and found Hetrick inside the residence, deceased. HPD arrested Mondragon-Lopez, who called 911 to report that he had shot his girlfriend according to an affidavit written by Homer Police Sgt. Jessica Poling, outside the home.
Mondragon-Lopez was indicted on Nov. 8, 2023, with one count of murder in the second degree, one count of manslaughter and one count of criminally negligent homicide. He is currently in custody at Wildwood Correctional Complex.
A plea offer from the prosecution dated Nov. 14 shows that should Mondragon-Lopez change his plea, the original charge of second-degree murder will be reduced to manslaughter and all other remaining counts dismissed. Mondragon-Lopez would serve 15 years’ jail time — total time imposed shown as 20 years with five suspended — and 10 years probation.
A hearing rescheduling notice issued Monday notes that the Feb. 5 hearing will be for the change of plea only; sentencing comments will not be heard at the change of plea, though a date for sentencing will be scheduled.
Conditions for the plea offer include the defendant paying restitution for victim medical/funeral costs and immediate family member counseling; assigning the defendant’s PFD to pay for restitution and any court costs; and that Mondragon-Lopez will have no contact with Hetrick’s parents or siblings.
The offer is also conditioned upon Mondragon-Lopez taking a polygraph test regarding the circumstances of the shooting. Emails between the prosecution and defense note that the prosecution’s offer is not conditioned upon Mondragon-Lopez passing the polygraph, and “no information from the polygraph process can be used against Mondragon-Lopez.”
Neither the prosecution nor Mondragon-Lopez’s defense attorney responded to requests for comment as of press time.
