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David Montes pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 240 months in Yakima County Superior Court for the April 14, 2023, strangulation death of Santos Gloria Reyes at his home in Moxee, Washington.

Montes was about 25 at the time of the offense and 29 at sentencing, with no prior criminal history. Reyes, 63, of Yakima, had been contacted through an escort service website and had no prior relationship with Montes. She went to his home in the 2400 block of Duffield Road in the early hours of April 14.

According to court documents, Montes told detectives he used the escort website to find someone to harm, had no intention of having sex with Reyes and only wanted to kill her. He strangled her with his arms and then his legs. An autopsy confirmed she died of strangulation. He wrapped her body in plastic, put it in the back seat of his truck and threw her clothes in a dumpster, according to court records and reporting.

At his uncle's urging, Montes called 911 that day and said he had killed a woman at his home. The Yakima County Sheriff's Office responded, and Reyes's body was identified through autopsy. Montes was booked into the Yakima County Jail and charged with first-degree murder and concealing a body.

During a recorded interview at the sheriff's office after he was taken into custody, Montes gave his age as 25 and said he grew up in Yakima and attended West Valley schools. He said he had consumed about four canned alcoholic drinks since around 6 p.m. and had smoked marijuana. Montes told detectives, and demonstrated, how he held Reyes until she stopped breathing, then attempted chest compressions. Detectives questioned him about his phone and the arrangement with Reyes. He cooperated with investigators.

Montes pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. The date of the plea was not found. The standard sentencing range was 240 to 320 months. At an August 2026 hearing, reported on August 21, 2026, Judge Elisabeth Tutsch imposed the minimum sentence of 240 months. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Bret Roberts recommended the minimum, citing Montes's lack of a prior criminal history, his decision to turn himself in at his family's urging and his cooperation, while saying he had killed a woman in cold blood. Defense attorney Ken Therrien pointed to Montes's heavy drinking that night and his background as a U.S. Marine. Montes told the court he was responsible for his actions, and the judge encouraged him to dig deep while incarcerated.

The video is a police interview-room recording running about 57 minutes. It presents the interview itself and opens with a short narrated introduction naming the people involved.