A Colorado woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Abreham Yohhanes, whose tragic death in 2021 has left his family and community devastated.
Ashlye Handy, 25, was convicted of second-degree murder in January and was sentenced on Thursday by the Denver District Court.
The incident occurred on the evening of September 15, 2021, at an apartment in Denver’s 1400 block of Yosemite Street. According to prosecutors, Handy shot Yohhanes shortly after the two arrived at the apartment together.
Surveillance footage from the building showed them entering the premises around 10:52 p.m., with Handy leaving the apartment alone about 20 minutes later.
Gunfire was detected in the area at 11:08 p.m., and Yohhanes was later discovered by a friend at 4 a.m., suffering a fatal head wound.
Authorities indicated that Handy and Yohhanes were in a romantic relationship at the time of the shooting. A message posted online by Handy’s brother, which raised suspicions, prompted the friend to check on Yohhanes, ultimately leading to the discovery of the teen’s body.
“This was a senseless tragedy,” Denver District Attorney John Walsh said in a statement. “A young life was cut short, and Ms. Handy will face the consequences of her actions.”
In response to the loss, a GoFundMe page set up for Yohhanes’ family described him as a “bright spark” whose tragic death has left his loved ones in deep mourning.
The case has drawn attention to the often unpredictable nature of domestic violence and its devastating consequences.
