On May 17, 2024, 20-year-old Kevin Bui pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for his role in the August 2020 fire that tragically took the lives of five people.
Bui, along with two other teenagers at the time, allegedly set fire to a house on Truckee Street.
Their motive? Mistakenly believing the residents were responsible for stealing Bui's iPhone from City Park.
Bui reportedly used a tracking app, but it led him to the wrong address.
The fire ripped through the home, claiming the lives of Djibril Diol (29), his wife Adja Diol (23), and their precious 22-month-old daughter, Khadija.
Additionally, Djibril's sister, Hassan Diol (25), and her infant daughter, Hawa Beye (6 months old), also perished in the blaze.
The tragedy didn't stop there.
Three other individuals managed to escape the inferno by jumping out of windows, sustaining serious injuries like broken bones.
Djibril, a young civil engineering student with a bright future ahead of him, left a heartbroken community that admired and cherished him, as expressed in a GoFundMe campaign set up in his memory.
Bui, initially facing 60 charges, reached a plea deal that dismissed the majority.
He now faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison (30 years per count). The standard penalty for second-degree murder allows for a maximum of 48 years and a $1 million fine.
Authorities believe Bui played a leading role in the crime.
His accomplices were Dillon Siebert (14 at the time) and Gavin Seymour (now 19).
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The Denver Police Department released a photo of the three teenagers wearing dark clothing and face masks after the fire. They were suspected of setting the blaze and fleeing in a dark sedan.
The investigation initially stalled due to a lack of leads.
However, a controversial search warrant compelled Google to reveal users who searched for the victims' address within a specific timeframe before the fire.
This information ultimately connected the teens to the crime.
According to the warrant, Bui allegedly searched the family's address online numerous times just two weeks before the fire.
Additionally, he reportedly discussed his stolen phone on Snapchat.
Bui's parents, present at the hearing with a Vietnamese interpreter, watched their son plead guilty while handcuffed and in a jail uniform.
His sentencing is scheduled for July 2nd.
Dillon Siebert, who pleaded guilty last year, received a sentence of three years in a juvenile facility followed by seven years in an adult detention program.
This tragedy highlights the dangers of impulsive actions and the devastating consequences that can follow.
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