15-year-old Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison

Pled Guilty to Challenge to Fight Resulting in Death

The 15-year-old girl who pled guilty to killing another local teen, has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. Shaila Hernandez (dob 4/22/08) will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years. Hernandez was 14 when she killed Chloe Edwards, also 14, during a fight on February 19^th, 2023. Hernandez pled guilty to Challenge to Fight, Resulting in Death with the Use of a Deadly Weapon, which carries the same penalty as First Degree Murder.

Prior to the incident, the two had been exchanging negative messages after Hernandez had made a comment about Edwards at a party. During the text exchange, the pair agreed to a physical fight at Hernandez’s home. Edwards, her sister, and a friend arrived, with Hernandez, her brother, and the brother’s girlfriend present. The two girls argued briefly before the fight became physical.

During the fight, Hernandez pulled a knife and attempted to stab Edwards three times, striking the victim in the upper left chest, puncturing her heart and left lung. Edwards then ran back to her car, yelling about Hernandez having a blade. As the group drove away, Edward’s lost consciousness and 9-1-1 was called. The group drove back to Edward’s home, where the mother and then paramedics attempted life-saving measures. However, the teen succumbed to her injuries.

When officers with the Reno Police Department arrived at the Hernandez home, they recovered video surveillance footage from the surrounding area, as well as cell phone recordings of the fight. In an interview with police, Hernandez said that before she went outside to confront Edwards, she grabbed one of her brother’s knives, as she didn’t know if the victim would be armed or not.

At sentencing, several of Edwards family members provided victim impact statements, including her sister Alexis. Speaking directly to Hernandez, Alexis shared how the loss of Chloe continues to impact her and her family.

“I don’t want revenge, just justice and peace,” said Alexis during her statement in court. “Shaila, I hope you see where I’m coming from and the life I now have to live because of your actions. I hope you realize the damage you’ve caused and take that into consideration.”

Deputy District Attorney Travis Lucia argued for a sentence of life, saying that the brutality of Hernandez’s conduct outweighed any mitigating effects of her age, and that countless juveniles are impulsive in their actions and never come close to committing a crime as horrific as this one.

The Honorable Judge Kathleen Drakulich presided and imposed the sentence of 50 years.