Teen arrested in teacher’s death to be tried as an adult

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 | 12:40 p.m.

Juan Aguirre

Audio Clip

Matthew Cox performs a solo, "And So It Goes," with his choir in Hopkins, Mich., during his last performance before moving to Nevada. Audio clip courtesy his family.
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Prosecutors plan to try a 17-year-old as an adult in the slaying of Basic High School choir teacher Matthew Thomas Cox, according to a criminal complaint filed today.

Juan Aguirre is charged with murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, grand larceny-auto, burglary and kidnapping for his alleged role in the death of Cox, who was found in his home Dec. 22. Aguirre and his brother Jose A. Delatorre, 18, who faces the same charges, are scheduled to appear before Henderson Justice of the Peace Rodney Burr at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Police say Aguirre told them that he and Delatorre were picked up by Cox and taken back to Cox's house, where they played video games. Cox went upstairs to pack for a trip home to Michigan, and Aguirre joined for a short while, then went back to the video games, the statement says.

After a while, Cox drove the two back to their home in downtown Las Vegas. After he stopped in front of the home, the teen’s statement says, Delatorre struck Cox in the head and the two choked him. They used a tie in a gift box to tie his feet and hands, the teen reportedly told police.

They then drove the car back to Cox’s home, where they took a laptop computer, a Wii console and games, DVDs, and an iPod. They left Cox on the sofa, with a blanket over him, according to the statement.

The teen told police the brothers only meant to rob Cox.

Cox began teaching at Basic in fall 2006.

Dave Clark can be reached at 990-2677 or dave.clark@hbcpub.com.

Discussion: 14 comments so far…

By jfnance32

1/7/09 at 12:59 p.m.

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Good decision.

He should be tried as adult.
By davidwayneosedach

1/7/09 at 6:20 p.m.

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They say a child of 4 years old knows the difference between right and wrong; good and bad.

A 17 year old killer definetely knows the difference.
By starrynite7

1/7/09 at 6:27 p.m.

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Yippie! I am so glad! Finally justice will prevail! "Take the key and lock them up!"
By ShanaMo3

1/8/09 at 10:34 a.m.

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My first thought looking at his picture is there is no light in his eyes. They are cold and empty. I can't even put into words all that I feel right now. The two brothers caused so much pain and heartbreak and they robbed so many of us that loved Matthew. My daughter is one of Basic's choir co-presidents. This is her senior year and because of the selfishness of the brothers and their disregard for life, what should have been one of the best years of her life has been forever stained with tears and loss.

Without her beloved choir director there is no longer the choir trip/festival that had been planned for the spring at Disneyland. Her 18th birthday is Saturday and it's just not going to be the same. We really haven't even had a chance to plan any kind of celebration yet.

Because of the selfishness and the arrogance of the brothers, there are so many who feel lost and who are trying to hold on. I can say that because of what has happened, the choir kids at Basic have become an even tighter knit family. They have gathered together often, during winter break and after school started back, so that they could mourn together. They feel stronger when they are together. What Rudyard Kipling wrote is true...

"...for the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack."

What a hard life lesson to have to learn when you are still trying to figure out who you are and what you want out of life. But our Basic choir kids have learned that lesson well. They will continue the legacy Mr Cox left them with.

Let justice prevail. We are still gathering names and numbers on a growing list of those people who knew Mr Cox and who would be willing to stand up and testify of his character and integrity. His voice has to be heard against the lies the brothers told.

Look into the eyes of the brothers and then look into the eyes of Matthew. What you find there speaks volumes.
By mattsmomscousin

1/8/09 at 12:53 p.m.

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That is the best news I have heard since this senseless tragedy happened. I thought the same thing thing when I looked in the eyes of the oldest one. They have cold and empty looking eyes. Thank God they will never have a chance to hurt anyone again.
By Our_Linn

1/9/09 at 9:37 a.m.

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Give them both the spike!
By LV4LIFE

1/9/09 at 9:49 a.m.

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The man did not deserve to be murdered but still more questions need to be answered. Why does a teacher take students home. Why are said students in his bedroom.
Hmmmm.
By LV4LIFE

1/9/09 at 9:57 a.m.

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Sorry about leaving out the "?"
By azsk8fan

1/9/09 at 11:01 a.m.

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In a word.........GOOD!
By nina

1/17/09 at 11:23 p.m.

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i am a good friend of both of them and i have looked in there eyes and they are not empty i seen teens that are confused and had a hard life and need to be helped so for everyone to lie and say the teacher was hepling him come on thats sounds funny that teacher has no right to be hanging out with his studnts out of school
By musicislife

1/25/09 at 3:10 p.m.

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to nina:
are you kidding me? look in their eyes and then look in the pics posted of Mr Cox and then tell me their eyes aren't empty! they have no feelings. sorry. but they don't. they had no regard for life. they had no regard for juan's "friends" in choir. look at all of us crying in the pics from the memorial! what regard did they have for us? they had no regard for their family or for Mr Cox's family or they would have made better choices. what kind of good example was jose for juan to follow? oh ya, he wasn't!!! if juan was sorry shouldn't his face show some emotion or like he was sad for what he did? but there's nothing there. he looks mad or like whatever...i'll do what i want... like he always did!

you actually are going to believe all the lies those two have said because they're your friends? are you crazy? juan was supposed to be my friend too and he LIED constantly to me and to all of us in choir about alot of stuff he said!!! you want to believe a KNOWN liar and his accusations against someone that never lied to any of us. you want to question a good teachers reputation because he was helping someone? i've been in other teachers homes for LOTS of reasons. (never in Mr Cox's)

why wasn't juans family or you giving him a ride home after work? they had a hard life? cry me a river. there are people that have had harder lives and never kill someone. how in the freak do you choke someone for ten minutes and know they aren't moving anymore and then tie them up and they still aren't moving and they didn't mean to kill him? PUHFREAKINLEEZZZ!!! give us a break! murder is murder. stealing from anyone for any reason is wrong. so no matter what, those guys are where they belong and hopefully they will never be allowed out again. even a little kid knows its wrong to steal and to kill someone. so don't defend them for how hard their lives were. they had choices. what choice did they give Mr Cox? Mr Cox only ever tried to help his students and his friends out. He was going home to see his family and see old friends. those guys killed him for nothing!!! confused? hard life? and they had someone willing to help and they killed him... whatever. ur ridiculous.
By Matthewsmom

1/27/09 at 5:13 p.m.

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Thank you musicislife!
By nina

1/28/09 at 1:03 p.m.

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first i know juan better than his own family so dont talk about things you dont know you might have been someone to say hello to but you dont know him deep down> im not saying that they dont deserve to be where they are cause they do and they deserve everyhting they get but i want to hear juans story what could make him angry. im saying dont look one way and not another you dont believe what they say cause of wht they did would you believe him if he didnt do it.everyone always believes a teacher over a studnt i ve been there plenty of times and if it happened to you you would understand where im coming from teachers are not above us all they make mistakes and do horrible things too >>>>>> we'll see whathappens
By Mattsmom

4/19/09 at 12:58 p.m.

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I know my son deep down. I know what he's accomplished and worked so hard for all his life. Matt never would have done anything to ruin his carreer. I've known him for almost 33 years! Yes, I've been close to Matthew all his life. Matt doesn't even get to tell his side of the story so let's not talk about sides here.
Juan has got such a reputation of telling lies it's not funny. To his friends, family and yes even you, Juan has lied so much no one knows when he's telling the truth. So how is he going to say anything believable here? He had friends feeling sorry for him because, according to Juan, he didn't have anyplace to live. At the time, he did but Juan didn't want to follow rules. Matt was even trying to find someplace where Juan could live. Matt was asked by Juan's social worker to mentor Juan. To help him. Juan started skipping school, letting his grades fall and running away. Matt has nothing to do with that. I do know Matt was thinking about pulling out. Yes, stop helping Juan because Juan didn't care! Matt was going to start up a band with another student. This other student did care about his own future where Juan didn't. I know Juan has been in trouble and kicked out of schools before. Jose has been in jail how many times! We're supposed to feel sorry for who? Matt even had to take Juan to school and to work using his own gas money. What is that? You, I'm sorry to say, don't know much about the entire situation. Maybe you should stop and think about all the kids in Nevada and Michigan alike who have gotten help from Matt. I have received so many letters and cards from students and parents alike. Yes, you, Nina, don't have any idea about what happened. Like the rest of us, unfortunately, you will never know. You see, Matt doesn't get to tell his side. According to you we're supposed to believe one side, Juan and Jose's? There are too many missing puzzle pieces to this. I was told that I will never know what really happened to my son!