‘I live in fear’: Mother of Midvale teen who was killed grieves for son before hearing

MIDVALE, Utah — For a Midvale mother now grieving her son’s death, the knowledge that someone may be held accountable gives her some peace of mind. KSL TV spoke to Yolanda Robies, the single parent to 16-year-old Len Robles, whose photos are all over the walls of the Robies’ apartment.

“I told him, it’s just the two of us. It’s for your own good because here in the United States – you have an opportunity because you were born here. It’s a blessing,” Yolanda said in Spanish.

On a typical night, Len would work at a local Walmart after attending Hillcrest High School — a tough schedule to keep for a 16-year-old — but Yolanda liked that it kept him off the streets.

“He was very affectionate with me. He’d come home from Walmart at 10 or 11 at night. He’d knock on my bedroom door and come in. I’d be waiting awake for him, and he’d give me a kiss. I’d get him some dinner, and then he’d lay down and go to bed,” she said.

But Len failed to come home on the night of Sept. 15, 2022.

“I was restless. I went from my room to the kitchen back and forth because he wasn’t answering his phone,” Yolanda recalled.

What happened, according to police, is that someone pulled up in a car — exchanged words — and shot at least five times, killing Len just blocks away from his home.

“That day, I was shocked. The truth is that up until this moment I still can’t believe that this has happened to my son,” Yolanda said.

Unified PD says a few suspect vehicles fled the scene shortly after the incident.

While all suspects are still outstanding at last check, they do not believe there is a threat to the public. @KSL5TV @UPDSL https://t.co/c5TQKSQBov

— Karah Brackin (@kbontv) September 16, 2022

After months of mystery surrounding her son’s death, the only consolation is that a suspect is behind bars.

In fact, 18-year-old Nestor Del Valle of West Jordan, Utah, was already in jail. He was booked in October and charged with killing another teen, 17-year-old Bryan Galicia, just five days before Len was gunned down. Detectives claim shell casings from the supposed murder weapon linked the two crime scenes.

Valle is facing a murder charge for the death of Len and had a hearing on Monday. While Yolanda is finally able to know who will face a judge in her son’s killing, the violence surrounding what happened and the hole left in her life, have her fearing the worst for others left behind.

“For me, it’s very sad. Right now, I live in fear. My son’s friends — they scare me when they head out into the street because I think someone is going to kill them. That someone will do something bad to them.”

Yolanda said she can only hope that others will remember the good in Len as she mourns his loss and prepares to face the teen police say killed him.