Man sentenced to 32 years for murder of teen celebrating birthday in Stockyards
A man was sentenced to 32 years in prison for the killing of an 18-year-old celebrating his birthday in the Fort Worth Stockyards last October, the Tarrant County district attorney said on Friday.
Twenty-year-old Kevin Aguilar pleaded guilty to murder after shooting an AR-style rifle into a crowd in the Stockyards historic district on Oct. 6, 2024, according to a statement. Joseph Steven Padilla, who was out with friends to celebrate his birthday, was shot and killed. Four other victims were wounded in the shooting.
Padilla was a senior at Weatherford High School, the Star-Telegram previously reported. Family members described him in an online obituary as having an “easygoing and fun personality” and as a big brother who was “always ready to provide protection, love and support.”
The parking lot in the 100 block of NW 24th Street where the shooting occurred is a hot spot for fights and underage drinking, an employee of a nearby tattoo parlor told KTVT-TV at the time. “They can’t really drink in the bars, so they’ll be tailgating and drinking in the parking lots,” the employee said.
The incident in the Stockyards was one of five separate shootings across Fort Worth that week that injured eight other people and killed three more, the Star-Telegram reported at the time.
This story was originally published July 18, 2025 at 6:03 PM.
