Driver pleads guilty to murder in wrong-way crash that killed three GCU students

MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ – The driver accused of hitting and killing three GCU students in a ghost crash in October 2022 has pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder.

According to court documents, 27-year-old Vincent Acosta changed his confession on the last possible day. Family members of all three students were present in the courtroom when the change was made.

“All three of them had this vibrancy about them,” said Abriauna Hoffman’s mother, Sundie Woodbury.

ABC15 caught up with Sundie and Abriauna's stepfather a year after the accident that killed their daughter, known to many as Abe, and her friends Maggie Ogden and Hunter Balberdi.

“I was so happy for her,” Sundie said. “She was just motivated and so was Maggie.”

Balberdi was from Hawaii, while Hoffman and Maggie were from the same city in Washington. Hoffman's parents said it was Maggie's birthday, and the girls wanted to celebrate with a trip to watch the sunrise at the Grand Canyon. But on that morning drive on I-17, the girls were hit near Table Mesa Road.

DPS identified the wrong-way driver as Acosta, and ABC15 was told the 27-year-old is from the Valley. According to court documents, his blood alcohol content was 0.129 on the day of the accident.

After nearly two years, Acosta appeared in court again on August 14 to officially change his guilty plea. Among the terms of that agreement was that he plead guilty to three counts of first-degree murder.

“It says you will be sentenced by the Arizona Department of Corrections to a term of between 18 and 22 years in prison,” the judge read. “The sentences will be served concurrently.”

Members of the families of all three GCU students were present in court that day.

“Abriauna was my soulmate,” Sundie said. “She looked out for me. We were partners. We overcame a lot of trauma together.”

Each one was emotional as they addressed the judge and sometimes Acosta.

“She was my best friend,” said Balberdi's mother, LuShanya Marquez. “She was a very special young woman.”

“Mr. Acosta, you have robbed my daughter of her future and caused tremendous damage to our family,” said Maggie's father, Pat Ogden. “My daughter was a giver at heart and spent hundreds of hours helping others.”

Many relatives spoke out and said that the agreement did not allow enough time.

“18 to 22 years, what is that?” Marquez asked. “Will he still be able to get out and have a life? My daughter's life is over.”

The judge said she took notes as relatives spoke and later addressed the families before accepting the plea.

“There is no sentence that would accomplish what I want to do for all of you, which is to give you back your beautiful daughters,” the judge said.

Under the agreement, Acosta will also have his license revoked. He will appear in court again on September 27 for sentencing.

ABC15 was told that family members will again be arriving to speak.