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Friends mourn after verdict in Casa Grande murder
A 14-year-old was found guilty of 2nd degree murder in the death of former Casa Grande cheerleader Hailey Stevens. FOX 10's Kenzie Beach has the story.
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. - Last November, the Casa Grande community was shaken by the death of 17-year-old Hailey Stephens.
On Tuesday, the 14-year-old charged in her shooting death was found guilty.
Three of Stephens' best friends testified in her murder case.
Their friend group of eight girls who grew up together became a group of seven, forever changed by a 14-year-old boy who brought a gun to a party.
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Teen killed, another injured in Casa Grande shooting
Two teen girls were shot at an apparent house party in Casa Grande early Sunday morning, the police department said. Reports say one of the girls was shot in the arm and the other, who police say died, was shot in the head.
READ MORE: Arrests made after shooting kills teen at apparent Casa Grande house party: PD
"We've been friends since elementary school. Most of us," said Kiley Mendoza.
"It's been unbearable. Everything we do, anything that happens… reminds us of her," said Georgia Kaliotzakis.
Hailey Stephens was on the cheer team and a 'straight A' student at Casa Grande Union High School. She had a whole life ahead of her.
"She was really excited to graduate. And she had offers from different schools, multiple scholarships," said Mendoza.
Her plans to go to ASU and cheer on the Sun Devils were cut short. Hailey Stephens and her friends were caught in crossfire leaving a party last November.
Stephens was shot in the head and died.
Mendoza was shot in the arm.
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2nd teen shot in Casa Grande talks after surviving the tragedy
We're hearing from the second Casa Grande teen shooting victim who got caught in the crossfire at a house party on Nov. 26 and survived. The deadly shooting tragically killed 17-year-old Hailey Stephens.
READ MORE: Teen who survived Casa Grande house party shooting says 'I was totally in shock'
The group of eight best friends and memories of graduation pictures, school dances, and graduation day, now forever mourn Hailey Stephens.
Mendoza carries the memory of Stephens with her in the form of a necklace.
"I put it with my infinity necklace so that she's with me everywhere I go," she said.
"He took our best friend, and I don't think we will be able to. No, we will never be able to get that back," said La’Tajanique Gaines.
The 14-year-old shooter was unable to be tried as an adult under Arizona law.
Court documents revealed the 14-year-old shooter was from the Coolidge area and the girls say they had never seen that boy before the shooting.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14.
"You know, he may not be serving such a long time and that's really upsetting. It doesn't bring her back," said Mendoza.
"You can't go ruining people's lives and taking it away and expecting a slap on the wrist," Kaliotzakis added.
"Any 14-year-old should even be attending a party nor have a gun in his hand facing it at anyone in the first place," said Gaines.
Ten months later, the memories of that night are still very raw.
"You know, if we left a minute later, earlier, we wouldn't be caught just the wrong place at the wrong time," said Mendoza.