14-Year-Old Sentenced for Murder of Hailey Stephens

A 14-year-old boy was sentenced to four years in a juvenile detention facility for his role in the murder of Hailey Stephens, a 17-year-old cheerleader who was shot during a house party in Casa Grande, Arizona, last November. The boy, who was 13 at the time of the incident, was adjudicated delinquent for second-degree murder and related charges after the court deemed that no probation could adequately protect the community. Stephens was shot in the head during a shooting that erupted after an argument, while another girl was injured but survived. She was a senior at Casa Grande Union High School with aspirations of becoming a cheerleader at Arizona State University. In memory of Stephens, her family has established a scholarship fund to support students in their educational pursuits. This case remains significant as it is the only trial out of the nine individuals arrested in connection with her death.