Greeley man gets 40 years for shooting, killing ex-girlfriend in '24

Published on December 16, 2025

GREELEY, Colo. (Weld County D.A.) – A Greeley man will spend the next four decades behind bars after pleading guilty to murdering his ex-girlfriend last year.

On Friday, Gabriel Esparza, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Sierra Nicole Mininger.

The conviction stems from a fatal shooting that occurred on December 8, 2024, in the 300 block of 9th Avenue in Greeley.

Greeley police responded to the scene after the victim’s father called 911 and reported that his daughter had just been shot.

Esparza originally told law enforcement he had woken up to the sound of gunfire and found Mininger in bed next to him with a gunshot wound.

However, after several conflicting stories, Esparza stated he was invited over to her house where a verbal altercation ensued while he was intoxicated.

The defendant told police he grabbed his gun and pointed it at Mininger to intimidate her. He then admitted to pulling the trigger and said he didn’t know a bullet was loaded in the chamber.

“This case is a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of domestic violence, and we hope it provides some measure of justice and closure for her grieving family,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Anthony Perea said.  

Weld County District Court Judge Shannon Lyons imposed a sentence of 40 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections, followed by five years of mandatory parole.