GOODING COUNTY, Idaho — The second teenager charged in the brutal killing of an 18-year-old Jerome man was sentenced Monday in Gooding County, closing another chapter in a murder case that left a small community shaken and a family devastated.
Rolan Delacruz, now 16, was sentenced to life in prison with 23 years fixed for the murder of Dax Richins , who went missing in June 2024. His remains were found months later, buried in a shallow grave near the Snake River Canyon outside Wendell.
Inside the courtroom, Richins’ grieving parents delivered powerful victim impact statements, coming face-to-face with the teen who helped take their son’s life.
“His potential was taken, and his presence in our lives is gone,” Dax’s mother told the judge through tears. “He had the most beautiful blue ey