Expand / Collapse search
☰

Gwinnett County man sentenced to life for deadly baby shower shooting

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  June 13, 2025 9:20pm EDT
Gwinnett County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Esteven Avile-Vega (Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office)

The Brief

    • Esteven Avila-Vega was sentenced to life in prison plus five years for the murder of Angel Mendoza-Ramirez during a baby shower in Gwinnett County.
    • The incident began when a relative accidentally shot himself, leading Mendoza-Ramirez to secure the weapon, which escalated into a fatal shooting by Avila-Vega.
    • Avila-Vega was found guilty of multiple charges, including malice murder and aggravated assault, by a Gwinnett County jury.

NORCROSS, Ga. - A man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a deadly shooting erupted during a baby shower in Gwinnett County last year.

What we know:

Esteven Avila-Vega, 28, was sentenced Friday to life in prison plus five years following his conviction for a shooting that killed 39-year-old Angel Mendoza-Ramirez on April 16, 2023. The incident took place during a family gathering on Pepperwood Trail in Norcross, where children were present.

The violence began after a relative at the party accidentally shot himself in the leg while intoxicated. According to prosecutors, Mendoza-Ramirez intervened and secured the weapon to prevent further danger.

Pepperwood Trail in Norcross (FOX 5)

An argument followed, during which Avila-Vega demanded the gun be returned. Instead, prosecutors said, he pulled out his own firearm and shot Mendoza-Ramirez multiple times, continuing to fire until his weapon was empty.

Avila-Vega was arrested at the scene that same day. 

On June 2, a Gwinnett County jury found him guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

SEE ALSO:

The Source: The Gwinnett County Superior Court is the source for this article. 

Gwinnett CountyNewsCrime and Public Safety