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The tragic tale of a young Missouri man, Monte Henderson, 23, whose reckless actions led him to a 21-year prison sentence, serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of irresponsible driving. Henderson’s fateful decision to speed at 70 mph in a 35 mph zone resulted in a devastating chain reaction crash, claiming the lives of a mother and her daughter who were fresh from a Drake concert.
Last week, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office confirmed Henderson’s sentencing, following his guilty plea in July to charges of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. The victims, 42-year-old Laticha Liz Bracero and her 21-year-old daughter Alyssa Angel Cordova, were both tragically lost in the incident. The two women, visiting from Chicago, were struck while crossing the street on their way back to their hotel.
Monte Henderson was sentenced last week to 21 years behind bars for killing 42-year-old Laticha Liz Bracero and her 21-year-old daughter Alyssa Angel Cordova, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney”s Office said in a press release. He pleaded guilty in July to two counts each of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.
Bracero and Cordova were celebrated for their close-knit relationship; their shared obituary described them as “inseparable and sharing a strong bond.” Their visit to the Gateway City was meant to be a joyous occasion, a chance to enjoy music and time together, but it ended in an unimaginable loss, underscoring the profound impact of such preventable tragedies.
Bracero and Cordova were from Chicago and traveled to the Gateway City to enjoy the concert. Their obituaries said they were “inseparable and shared a strong bond.”
“The dynamic duo will be remembered for their amazing smiles, infectious giggles and the love they shared for one another. They will both be deeply missed by all of their family and friends,” the obituary said.
Bracero’s sister wrote in a victim impact statement to the judge that Henderson deserved a stiff punishment because he was being “irresponsible” by getting behind the wheel while intoxicated and has shown “zero remorse.”
“He needs to sit in jail and stare at a wall and think about what he is done,” she wrote. “He is an extremely selfish person and doesn’t belong on the streets to harm anyone else again with his irresponsible actions. He does not deserve holidays with his family or to have his own just like Alyssa & Laticha.”
Oddly enough, Henderson was in the area to pick up his mother and sister who also attended the Drake concert. In a letter to the judge, Henderson’s mother said her son is “not a monster, young thug or the way the media portrays him.”
But prosecutors said punishments for drunk and speeding drivers must be harsh.
“Reckless driving destroys lives. At 70 miles per hour, a car becomes a weapon, and the impact reaches far beyond the crash itself. Nothing can make this right, but this sentence hopefully delivers some solace to the loved ones of Laticha Bracero and Alyssa Cordova,” St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore said in a statement. “Two families are grieving today, one for the loss of a mother and daughter and another for the loss of a young man’s future.”
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