Utah Teen Sentenced For 2015 Rape, Murder Of 12-Year-Old Girl

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A Utah teen who pleaded guilty to raping and killing 12-year-old Kailey Vijil in 2015 was sentenced to 15 years-to-life in prison on Monday.

Jayden Sterzer, now 19 years old, was 15 years old when police said he lured Vijil out of her West Valley City home on July 17, 2015, saying he needed help to find his missing cat.

Vijil’s body was found naked “with a shirt wrapped around her neck,” according to 2015 charging documents and Sterzer was charged with aggravated murder.

But it wasn’t until two and half years later that a judge found him competent to stand trial. In a 2017 deal with prosecutors, Sterzer pleaded guilty to raping and killing Vijil.

Sterzer was ordered to serve his time in juvenile court until he was 21 years old but that changed when he was accused of assaulting a staff member.

Sterzer who will turn 20 on Friday, was moved to the Salt Lake County Jail until his sentencing in adult court. He will serve his time in prison.

In court on Monday, Vijil’s mother called him a “monster.” Her father cried and was very angry in court, saying, “I want to rip [Sterzer’s] head off.”