Woman convicted of manslaughter in death of 7-year-old has parole hearing

Woman convicted of manslaughter in death of 7-year-old has parole hearing

(Ravell Call/Deseret News)


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UTAH STATE PRISON — It was a tragedy that sparked an outcry among city and community leaders to do something about Salt Lake City's gang problem.

On July 6, 2008, 7-year-old Maria Del Carmen Menchaca was playing in the front yard of her house on the corner of 800 West and Fremont Avenue, when a vehicle with three gang members drove by and fired several rounds intended for a rival gang member that lived at the residence.

Instead, a stray bullet struck and killed Maria.

Mae Goodman Johnson was 16 years old when police said she provided the gun to fellow teenager Gabriel Alejandro Alvarez, who fired the fatal shot that killed the young girl. Frank Puga Benavidez, 20 — also known as Scrappy — was the driver. Police said Johnson occasionally handled the gun while in the car and even held some of the bullets while Alvarez loaded the weapon.

Alvarez was convicted of murder and Benavidez of accessory to murder. They were both sentenced to 16 years to life in prison. Johnson pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and was sentenced to one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison.

Tuesday, there were many tears as Johnson went before a member of the Board of Pardons and Parole for her first parole hearing. The nervous Johnson began crying almost as soon as she entered the room and frequently reached for tissues as she spoke in a soft voice. Her right leg nervously twitched during the hearing.

But when asked to talk about her participation in the shooting, Johnson, now 22, indicated her culpability didn't match the justice system's punishment.

"I never touched the gun," she told parole board member Clark Harms, who conducted the hearing.

Johnson said she did not give the 9 mm Uzi rifle used in the shooting to Alvarez or know the intentions of the other two men that day.

"Did you hold the gun or the bullets during the drive-by shooting?" Harms asked.

"No," Johnson replied.

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"So far, I'm not quite sure why you're in prison for manslaughter," Harms said, after Johnson disputed what police and prosecutors had previously said on the record about the incident.

Harms then asked Johnson why she admitted in court to her actions by pleading guilty if she didn't do anything.

"I guess the reason I pleaded guilty is I didn't want to be labeled as a rat," she said.

Johnson also said she pleaded guilty because her lawyer told her to.

"I don't know. I was just young. I didn't understand the whole thing. I just wanted it over with," she said.

When Harms asked what she told the judge at sentencing, she replied, "I don't remember."

Johnson was moved a few months ago from the Utah State Prison to be housed at the Davis County Jail. Harms noted that she had had several write-ups for minor violations in the past year while incarcerated.

Nobody from the 7-year-old shooting victim's family attended Tuesday's hearing, though they did submit a letter to the parole board for consideration.


I don't know. I was just young. I didn't understand the whole thing. I just wanted it over with.

–Mae Goodman Johnson


"It made me realize all the pain and stuff they went through," Johnson said of the letter.

When asked what she would say to Maria's mother if she had attended the hearing, Johnson said, "My sympathy and my deepest apologies go to that family. What happened that day is the worst thing I've ever had to go through."

Eight family members and friends of Johnson were at Tuesday's hearing including her three younger brothers. After her hearing was completed, Johnson was allowed to turn her chair around and talk to them, prompting heavier crying from everyone.

"I love you guys. I'm sorry. I feel like I let all of you down," she said while adding that she "should have been a better example" for her siblings.

In a rare move, a corrections officer allowed one of Johnson's young brothers, who had his face buried in his hands as he cried for several minutes, give his sister a hug before they left.

The full five-member parole board will now vote on whether Johnson should be granted an early release. Harms noted, however, that despite Johnson's young age and immaturity at the time of the crime, "When all is said and done, we have a dead 7-year-old."

If Johnson serves her full sentence, she will be released in July of 2023.

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Pat Reavy

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