Kennewick woman admits to killing a friend during an argument, apologizes during her sentencing
Mar 5, 2025, 10:35 AM
Kennewick woman apologizes for killing a man. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
A 26-year-old Kennewick woman, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, expressed remorse in Benton County Superior Court Tuesday.
The Tri-City Herald reported Katelynn Vinson was accused of killing her friend, 36-year-old Daniel Bueno. She allegedly shot him during a heroin delivery.
“I know that no amount of time will ever repair the loss that everyone in Daniel’s life will feel,” Vinson told the court. “This was a terrible accident and one that I hope will one day be forgiven.”
Vinson reportedly shot Bueno through the window of a truck after an argument. Judge Bronson Brown sentenced Vinson to the minimum recommended by prosecutors, 16 years in prison. The judge said his decision was influenced by Vinson’s decision to forego a trial.
“You’ve not only taken a life. You’ve destroyed many people’s lives,” Brown said. “Now that you’ve entered this plea, you will forever be known as someone that’s convicted of murder.”
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Vinson had a criminal history
Vinson’s criminal history included shooting at an ex-boyfriend in 2016 and eluding police in 2019. The judge expressed frustration over Vinson’s drug addiction and hoped she would not return to the same life after her sentence.
The incident happened on the 2600 block of Sixth Avenue in Kennewick in 2023. Authorities believe Vinson followed Bueno to his truck, and during the confrontation, the gun went off, striking Bueno in the chest.
Bueno’s family described him as an amazing person. His daughter, Leiloni Bueno, spoke about missing him.
“Every day we must wake up with the weight of his absence, but the emptiness of losing a parent and a partner cannot be filled,” she said. “The trauma from the event will forever haunt us. I will never be able to turn to a normal life.”
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