Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Springdale man pleads guilty to hindering murder investigation
FAYETTEVILLE — Nicolas Torres, 20, pleaded guilty Tuesday to hindering apprehension and was sentenced to 10 years with five years suspended at the Arkansas Department of Correction.
The charge is related to Torres lying to police during an investigation into the fatal stabbing of a young man during a fight last year at a Springdale motel.
A group of people showed up at the party looking to fight, according to police documents.
Hector Trejo, 18, of Rogers stabbed Eliazar Torres, 21, three times Jan. 10, 2016, at Scottish Inns and Suites, 1219 S. Thompson St.
Torres died two days later at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale.
Trejo pleaded guilty in February and was sentenced to 40 years with 12 years and eight months suspended.
Trejo and four others were identified as among those who broke the motel window and door to get inside the room where the fight occurred, according to police and prosecutor documents.
Police initially arrested eight people in connection with the homicide. Trejo was the only one charged with capital murder.
Nicolas Torres also pleaded guilty to unrelated charges of accomplice to commercial burglary, attempted commercial burglary and theft by receiving involving a stolen firearm.
Torres was sentenced to 10 years with five years suspended on the accomplice to commercial burglary, five years on the attempted commercial burglary and five years on the theft charge. The sentences will run concurrently to the hindering charge. Two other theft or burglary charges were dropped.