KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Four men are now facing charges months after a Valentine's Day shooting claimed the life of a 2-year-old girl in Sweetwater.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said Francisco Lagunas Jr. is now facing murder charges alongside Liu Huerta, Itzhui Huerta and Malachi Franklin in the death of Alayna Butts.
A grand jury returned 36 indictments against the four for their roles in the Feb. 14, 2023, murders in Sweetwater, charging them with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, two counts of felony murder, three counts of attempted murder, one count of attempted burglary, reckless endangerment, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
The MCSO said the four are all being held criminally responsible for the actions of Lenning Huerta, who was a brother to Liu and Itzhui Huerta and also believed to be the one who shot the 2-year-old. Lenning Huerta died in the shooting.
Two people died in the shooting and three others were wounded. On Feb. 21, MCSO identified the fifth person shot as one of the suspects --Itzhui Huerta. He went to a Lenoir City hospital for treatment, according to MCSO. It's unclear how long he received treatment.
Alayna died in the hospital days after being shot in the head.
The shooting happened on Tuesday, Feb. 14, in the 600 block of Hawkins Road. Dispatchers said the call first came around 4 p.m., and deputies learned that a child had been shot while driving to the home.
When they arrived, deputies found a man, identified as Lenning Huerta, unresponsive on the porch with a gunshot wound to the head. Lenning Huerta was later pronounced dead.
According to the affidavit, Lenning Huerta is believed to have fired the first shots, which hit 2-year-old Alayna Butts in the head.
You can find more details about what law enforcement says happened here.