Teen Sentenced to 22 Years for USPS Mail Carrier's Death

In a tragic incident four years ago, a 17-year-old teenager fatally shot a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in New Mexico. The USPS worker had been going about his deliveries when he encountered a heated argument between the teenager and his mother, attempting to intervene in the situation. Tragically, this brave act cost him his life. Today, the teenager, now an adult, has been handed a 22-year prison sentence for his actions.

An Albuquerque resident found guilty in the 2019 shooting death of a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier has received a 22-year prison sentence, according to federal prosecutors.

Xavier Zamora, after pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of a federal employee and using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, was sentenced. This verdict comes more than a year after his guilty pleas.

The tragic event unfolded as mail carrier Jose Hernandez was on his mail route, witnessing an argument between Zamora, then a 17-year-old, and his mother outside her residence. Hernandez, trying to mediate the dispute, stepped in.

However, tensions escalated, leading to Zamora physically assaulting Hernandez and later fetching a firearm from his house, shooting the mail carrier in the stomach. Hernandez succumbed to his injuries just 20 minutes later.

Following the incident, authorities located Zamora, who had sought refuge in a nearby house a few days later. Notably, the weapon used in the crime was never recovered, as per court documents.

Hernandez had dedicated 12 years of his life to the Postal Service and was a loving husband and father of four. The sentencing of Zamora brings a measure of closure to this devastating chapter.