Kent man sentenced for accidentally shooting friend after drinking

A Kent man, who had been drinking alcohol when he accidentally shot his friend while playing with a gun, has received an almost 11-year sentence.

King County Superior Court Judge Kristin Ballinger on Sept. 12 sentenced Eddie Contreras, 29, of Kent, to 129 months in prison — a little under 11 years — for first-degree manslaughter. This sentence followed Contreras’ defense and prosecutors’ agreed recommendation to the court for a 129-month sentence, made after Contreras entered a guilty plea.

According to documents, Contreras was initially charged with first-degree murder for allegedly causing the death of Luis Cerda. However, as a result of the plea deal, Contreras’ charge was amended to first-degree manslaughter.

The charge was amended after investigation uncovered a third party who was present during Cerda’s death. Documents state that the witness said the incident did not appear intentional, and Contreras and Cerda acted like brothers.

“She talked about how Mr. Contreras was in shock. He panicked, that he didn’t know what to do,” said Contreras’ attorney David Alvarado. “And it was traumatic situation for everyone involved. She said that everybody was scared. And having met Mr. Contreras for approximately two years, he knows that he handled the situation poorly, and he has deep regret for that.”

At the sentencing, Contreras’ attorney read statements from the third party that said the night of Cerda’s death, Contreras and Cerda were drunk, being stupid and excited that they had a gun. According to statements from the third party, she said that Contreras did not mean to shoot Cerda. Additionally, she said that before the shooting occurred, Contreras and Cerda were not arguing or seemed to have any bad blood, according to her statements.

At the sentencing, Contreras gave a statement to the court, apologizing to everyone who was affected by his negative actions, he said. Contreras said that he takes full responsibility and that he has to live with the incident for the rest of his life.

“I’ve come to deeply and truly regret my decisions that have resulted in this terrible accident. I hope and pray that they can forgive me as well as find peace and closure in their lives,” Contreras said. “And, Luis was my friend. I wish that things could have been different, and sometimes I’m mad and want to cry, and my heart’s just heavy. And, I wish I could take things back. I just want to apologize to the family.”

Additionally, Contreras stated in his guilty plea that he accidentally shot Cerda after he had been drinking alcohol.

According to documents, Contreras had one adult nonviolent felony and a violent juvenile felony on his criminal record, alongside a concurrent charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. These charges put his offender score at a four for the manslaughter charge, putting his sentencing range between 111 and 147 months, with the midrange sentence being 129 months.

Details of the incident

Auburn police arrested Contreras on Feb. 28, 2023, in Kent on an unrelated felony harassment charge at his ex-girlfriend’s home when he threatened to shoot up the home, as well as a $75,000 warrant for failure to appear for arraignment on a felony violation of a court order, according to charging papers.

“The defendant (Contreras) shot an unarmed man, a man who believed the defendant to be his friend, in the head while the pair were out for the evening,” according to Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Donald Raz. “The defendant then abandoned the victim’s body and the victim’s car on a secluded road and fled the scene.”

Cerda’s body was found Feb. 22, 2022, in his mother’s black Hyundai Elantra on SE 312th Way in Auburn. The blood stain patterns on Cerda’s body and his positioning in the front passenger seat of the car indicated that his body had been positioned by someone else in the seat, according to charging documents. There was a handgun found under the seat where Cerda was seated, but it had no magazine in it.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that Cerda had been killed by a gunshot wound to his head and ruled his death a homicide.

Auburn police contacted Cerda’s family and found out they had not seen him since the evening before the discovery of his body. Cerda’s girlfriend told detectives that she had received a text that he was with Contreras, known by the street name of “Smooth,” according to charging papers.

The girlfriend said Cerda and Contreras had fought recently and that Contreras wanted Cerda “to join a gang and bring a gun.”

Detectives used a Facebook profile picture of Contreras to compare him to booking photos and identify him. Police used video surveillance from apartment complexes on Southeast 312th Street that reportedly showed Contreras walking near where Cerda’s vehicle was found.

Detectives determined from Cerda’s cellphone that he and Contreras began communicating with each other in December 2021. Text messages and phone calls reportedly were exchanged the night before Cerda’s body was found about the two meeting up.

By tracking cellphone data from the phones of the two men, police determined they were in the Panther Lake area of Kent around midnight. At about 12:30 a.m. they traveled to Covington and were in that area for a couple of hours.

They were next near Wilson Playfields in Kent, according to cellphone tower data. Cerda’s cellphone continued to connect with cell towers and was tracked to the vicinity of 12900 SE 312th Way, where his car was located. Contreras reportedly turned off his cellphone, which was last tracked near Wilson Playfields at about 2:18 a.m., and then not turned on again until about 12:37 p.m.

A review by detectives of Contreras’ Snapchat account reportedly showed a video of him holding and pointing Cerda’s Glock handgun, confirmed via the visible serial number, and matches the handgun recovered from Cerda’s vehicle, according to charging papers.

During a brief interview with detectives, Contreras reportedly said he had met Cerda once. He said he was never in Auburn. Contreras then ended the interview.