Kiko: From Life Without Parole to Life with Purpose

At just nineteen years old, David Carrillo was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for his role in a gang-related homicide. Thrown into some of Colorado's most violent prisons, he endured decades in solitary confinement, the destructive pull of prison politics, and the crushing reality of a system designed to break him. Yet, through education, self-reflection, and an unrelenting search for meaning, Carrillo forged a new path-emerging not as the person the system expected, but as an educator, consultant, and advocate for change. This is not merely a prison memoir or recovery story-it is an unflinching account of what it means to confront your past, fight for your humanity, and transform pain into purpose. Carrillo's journey reveals the power of resilience, the necessity of second chances, and the possibility of hope even in the darkest of places. For anyone who has faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles or wondered if true change is possible, KIKO offers more than inspiration-it offers a roadmap forged in the fire of lived experience.