'Rust' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Breaks Down as Judge Sentences Her to 18 Months in Prison
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced to 18 months behind bars.
April 15 2024, Published 2:47 p.m. ET
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer of Alec Baldwin's western flick Rust, sobbed as she was sentenced to the maximum 18 months behind bars, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Gutierrez-Reed, 26, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last month for the 2021 accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was killed on set.
Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March and sentenced to 18 months behind bars.
Gutierrez-Reed was overcome with emotion throughout her sentencing hearing on Monday.
"A conditional discharge is not appropriate. The second option — leaving you in the detention center — is giving you a pass you do not deserve … you alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon. But for you, a husband would have his wife and a little boy would have his mother," New Mexico District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer told the 26-year-old.
"Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, was killed in the accidental shooting on October 21, 2021.
Before Judge Sommer handed down the maximum sentence, victim impact statements were given.
A video message from Hutchins' mother, Olga Solovey, was played. Solovey addressed Gutierrez-Reed in Ukrainian and subtitles translated her statement.
Hutchins' mother sobbed as she told the Rust armorer, "The day of her death ruined my entire life. It’s heart-wrenching to see her child grow without his mother."
Emotional victim impact statements were read before Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced.
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"On the night [husband] Matt [called to say she died] I was screaming and kept pleading with him. Time does not heal. It is two and a half years past and it gets worse and worse," Solovey added.
One of Hutchins' closest friends, Emilia Mendieta, also gave a statement.
"The last four words she ever said to me [were] ‘I believe in you.’ Those four words will forever echo in my soul," Mendieta told the court.
Alec Baldwin is reportedly 'terrified' for his trial after the 'Rust' armorer's conviction.
Mendieta continued, "Halyna’s death is the result of a massive system failure…it all boils down to a very simple question. Why was there a live bullet on set? … That is where Hannah Gutierrez-Reed failed Halyna. it was her job to check the gun, check the bullets, to ensure that Halyna was safe."
Family friend Steven Metz spoke of how Hutchins' death devastated her husband, Matthew.
"Matt has been affected horribly by this and he moved away. Basically Matt died when Halyna died… The loss of Halyna has had the ripple effect on our community… her death is a reminder of the fragility of life and left us shaken and sad. There is really no excuse."
Baldwin, 66, is awaiting trial for involuntary manslaughter charges in Hutchins' death.
The Rust actor has maintained his innocence and insists that he did not pull the prop gun's trigger that discharged bullets killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Baldwin was not charged for injuring Souza in the on-set shooting.
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