Teen who killed 5 family members to be sentenced as juvenile

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A judge cleared the way Thursday for a New Mexico teenager who shot and killed his parents and three younger siblings to be sentenced as a juvenile and released from state custody by the time he turns 21 after the teen's attorneys argued he could be psychologically rehabilitated.

[...] 18, Griego has undergone nearly two years of therapy at a state adolescent treatment center — where his teachers, psychiatrists and others say he has made significant progress after being diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and some learning disabilities.

Defense attorneys' case presented a narrative of a teen who grew up in a chaotic environment, enduring emotional abuse by his mother and physical abuse at the hands of his father that likely led to a traumatic brain injury.

A residential supervisor at Sequoyah Lodge, where Griego is undergoing treatment, said the 18-year-old had matured into a role model for other troubled boys, while one teacher described the teen as a thoughtful student despite having expressed racist viewpoints, a fascination with war and Nazi Germany, and the notion of absolute power.