A former Miami school police officer, Yessenia Sanchez, will spend up to 30 years behind bars after pleading guilty to shooting her ex-boyfriend, fellow officer Damian Colon, in the head.
The shocking attack, which took place outside his home in November 2022, was the result of a long and troubled relationship filled with domestic violence.
A Troubled Relationship Ends in Violence
Sanchez, 35, had a history of violent altercations with Colon during their seven-year relationship.
In a plea deal, she admitted to stalking and attempted first-degree murder, leading to her lengthy prison sentence.
On top of her 30-year term, she will also serve 30 years of probation and is forbidden from contacting Colon ever again.
Tracking Her Ex Before the Attack
Court documents reveal that Sanchez used a tracking app to follow Colon to his family’s home in Hialeah on November 1, 2022.
Surveillance footage captured the chilling moment she pulled out a gun, shot him in the head, and fled the scene.
As she tried to escape, she crashed her car, abandoned it, and ran on foot before police caught up with her.
A History of Domestic Violence
This wasn’t the first time Sanchez had been violent toward Colon.
In September 2021, she was arrested on domestic violence charges after an altercation where she reportedly threatened herself with a gun and a knife, threw a ceramic object at Colon, punched and scratched him, and even slashed his car tires.
She later resigned from her position as a school officer rather than face termination.
The Prosecutor’s Strong Words
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle issued a powerful statement after Sanchez’s sentencing, emphasizing that no one, not even law enforcement officers, is immune to domestic violence.
“Her violent act displayed the sheer explosion of aggression inherent in every incident of domestic violence,” Rundle stated.
“Sanchez’s 30-year sentence cannot restore the physical damage she did while trying to kill the man she once claimed to love. Sadly, those scars will last forever.”
Colon’s Emotional Reaction
Colon, who recently retired from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, was present in the courtroom when Sanchez accepted her plea deal.
Overcome with emotion, he reflected on how the attack changed his life forever.
“They ended my career. I wouldn’t have ended my career, but she ended my career and she knows that very well,” he said through tears.
While he acknowledged that justice had been served, he made it clear that Sanchez had permanently altered his life and the lives of his loved ones.
“She got what she deserved, and she should’ve gotten more, but I’ll take what she got.”
A Brother’s Fury
Colon’s brother, David Colon, also spoke in court, directing his anger at Sanchez.
“You have destroyed our family. You have destroyed someone full of life, full of plans with a bright future. You did that,” he said.
With no sympathy for her fate, he added, “I hope you don’t have one day of peace.
I hope you suffer every single day for the rest of your life, and may God make you live a very long life so you could suffer for what you’ve done.”
Justice Served, But Lives Shattered
While Sanchez faces decades in prison, the damage she inflicted on Colon and his family can never be undone.
What started as a toxic relationship spiraled into a horrific act of violence, leaving scars that will last far beyond the courtroom’s verdict.