In the video, we see the 15 . Junior stumbles back into the bodega, leaving a trail of blood on the floor. He specializes, New surveillance footage shows the moments before and after. Juniors mother Leandra Guzman had to be escorted from the courtroom last week when she began screaming and shaking after viewing gruesome footage of her son being attacked by a group of alleged gangbangers. Seeing his sons clothing proved too much to bear for Juniors father, Lesandro Guzman, who left the courtroom shortly after Oikawas testimony. New Yorkers flooded investigators with tips. What Better Place To Network Than The Facebook Friends List? Add AI Research And Catching Up With Your Law School Buds To The Career Growth List -- See Also, Reach out just to catch up. After the verdict, Mr. Muniz showed no remorse and shouted, Popote, hasta la muerte! slang for Trinitarios until death.. Meanwhile a number of Bronx businesses are learning to be 'safe havens' for people in danger after a bodega owner was criticized for not doing enough 'Junior', who was killed outside his store. At the foot of the location I noticed a lot of blood, and people frantically screaming," Officer Oiwaka said about arriving at the entrance to St. Barnabas Hospital in Belmont, where Junior bleeding profusely from his wounds had collapsed in a frantic attempt to get help. My client, age 18 (and nine months, as the prosecutor liked to remind jurors), had joined a dangerous gang, the Trinitarios, and without the benefit of his mother, left behind in the Dominican Republic, made some very poor decisions that will now land him in jail probably for the rest of his life. Of those 38, five were under the age of 10. Guzman-Feliz's death sparked outrage in the Bronx and beyond and spurred the allocation of $18 million toward gang prevention in the borough. His English was poor. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]. According to prosecutors, Jos Muniz first hacks Junior with a machete. Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, known as 'Junior,' was mistaken for another person in a murder earlier this week described as "among the most brutal crimes I've seen in my 36yr career," New York . By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. MORE: Justice for Junior Special: More than a Murder Theodore Parisienne for The New York Times. They pursued him in cars, mistaking the aspiring NYPD detective for a gangbanger because he supposedly resembled a known one. Justice for Junior Special: More than a Murder, Defense hammers key witness on role in 'Junior' death. See our privacy policy. Henry also told of discovering a five-inch blade inside the passenger seat pocket of suspect Kevins Alvarezs 2003 gray Acura. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz, 15, was slashed in the neck with a machete at a bodega in the Bronx on June 19, 2018. Forsyth County prosecutors rested their case Tuesday morning. A New York prosecutor detailed how hard a 15-year-old tried to fight off a group of accused gang members as they allegedly stabbed him to death in front of a bodega last summer. The friend says they felt things were getting dicey and went inside. A bottle of hate had been uncorked and there was no way to close it. Brown said Janari became the 38th juvenile murdered in gun violence in Chicago in the first seven months of 2020. WNBC reported that the . What we do know is that for Junior like many teenagers growing up in gang-afflicted areas theres a fine line between hanging out on the streets and getting caught up in deadly violence. The OCME said Wednesday the teens death in the Belmont area of the Bronx was a stab wound to the neck, and classified the death as a homicide. Dixon's closing arguments also included the presentation of autopsy photos showing the wound to Guzman-Feliz's neck which reportedly killed him. Continuing coverage on the trial can be read here. The New York Post ran a front-page headline in bold caps,. Junior's parents were not in court, having been warned the images would be shown. At the moment I saw his face, my eyes changed. Recommended Stories Deadline. A dozen people appeared in court facing charges related to the death of 15-year-old Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, who was killed in the Bronx. In opening statements, prosecutors described the teen's killing as a calculated and planned murder by the five suspects. Our investigation retraces Juniors last steps and uncovers new details that may answer why he was targeted. The father of Junior Guzman-Felizthe 15-year-old New York boy whose mistaken-identity murder was caught on tapereportedly screamed and cursed at one of his son's accused killers during a Thursday court hearing which included testimony of what transpired after the teen's stabbing death. During closing arguments, some jurors were seen crying as autopsy photos were displayed. Maybe these wounds didn't contribute to the death but they certainly contributed to the pain and agony he was suffering, which fulfills the elements of murder in the first degree and as a result they're still guilty, he says. But Mr. Alvarez testified that Lesandro clearly told the gang he wasnt Sunset. Police officials also have said Lesandro did not belong to a gang. Join Nancy Grace and a team of world-class experts for the online course Justice Nation: Crime Stops Here. Mr. Suero had warned his members to carry a weapon at all times and said if they saw a rival member to do whatever possible to hurt the Sunset member, Mr. Alvarez said. The vicious murder in June of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz just blocks from his Bronx home drew outrage from across the city and beyond. An order had come from Mr. Suero, he said: Go after Sunset you already know what you have to do., Mr. Reyes said he understood that to be an order to do any kind of damage. This story has been shared 137,355 times. I saw he was scared, and he reminded me of a person that I had seen before, Reyes said, adding he felt very bad about the murder. Witnesses say these two police officers stood by watching the scene. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole on the murder conviction. was brutally jumped and stabbed to death. All rights reserved, Long Island Driver Wanted for Running From Deadly 7-Car Pileup, Upper East Side Deli Killer Clad in Hazmat Suit Likely Serial Robber: Sources, A dozen alleged gang members were indicted July 18, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Flight Attendant Hit the Ceiling': 7 Hospitalized After Severe Turbulence Diverts Flight to Virginia, Fight for NY Casino License Heats Up as Developers Drop Coney Island Boardwalk First Look, Viral Kids' Star Ms. Rachel Is Taking a Break From Social Media After Backlash Over Co-Star Who Uses They/Them Pronouns, The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner announced the cause of death for slain teen Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, The OCME said Wednesday the Bronx teens June 20 death was a stab wound to the neck and classified the death as a homicide, Alleged gang members have been indicted on murder, manslaughter, conspiracy and other charges. The incident revealed the barbaric tactics of a gang called the Trinitarios, and it laid bare a glaring paradox: Amid historically low crime rates in New York, police are still struggling to contain brutal violence in some neighborhoods. On the night of Juniors murder, Trinitarios were driving around looking for Sunset members when they spotted the 15-year-old walking. The mural outside of the bodega where Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was attacked bears his birth and death dates: 2002 and 2018. Mr. Alvarez, Mr. Reyes and a third man went into the store and asked the owner and workers to let them take Lesandro. Amazingly, a customer is seen purchasing an item over Juniors blood. At Least Your Colleague Spat Wasnt This Bad: Some things we just dont share with the class. Just 20 minutes later, Junior is pronounced dead as a result of a stab wound to the neck. He did not act with the intent to kill.. The dad struggled to make a living and Manuel struggled in school. He was depicted in murals and online with a halo and angel wings. Now that the prosecution had rested its case, the defense can begin to question witnesses next week, and once that process is done, closing arguments will begin. THE BRONX As they rested their case in the Junior murder trial Friday, prosecutors turned to the medical examiner who performed the teens autopsy, offering graphic detail of the wound that killed the 15-year-old almost a year ago. (No one claims responsibility.) The blood-soaked clothes worn by slain Bronx teen Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz as he was hacked at by a machete-wielding mob were displayed to jurors at the boys murder trial Thursday, prompting several spectators to burst into tears and his anguished father to exit the courtroom. On the night of June 20th , he was ordered by a leader nicknamed Psycho to find a Sunset (a rival gang member). Had Junior not been stabbed in the neck during the last seconds of the attack, he would have likely walked home barely injured except for abrasions to his body caused by being dragged out of the store and punched. Its alleged that defendant Jonaiki Martinez Estrella plunged the knife into Juniors neck near the end of the 20-second attack. However, four defense attorneys contested this notion, describing during opening statements that most of Guzman-Feliz's wounds as superficial and said it was the one cut to the throat that killed him. Junior suffered multiple wounds to his face, back, chest, legs and hands. They hang out on a stoop close by, chatting and listening to hip-hop, according to Jason. The trial, now in its fourth week, has been checkered with drama, with Juniors mom at one point screaming and sobbing in court in response to grisly CCTV footage shown of her sons murder. Mr. Reyes said they falsely told the store owner that Lesandro had attacked his own grandmother. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was murdered outside of a Bronx deli in 2019. Surveillance footage from June shows a street chase by suspected members of the Trinitarios gang, as they hunted down 15-year-old Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz. Nothing can. Warning: Details of Fridays testimony are graphic in nature and may be disturbing to some. JOLIET, Ill. - A toddler accidentally shot himself in the head after he found an unsecured gun in a Joliet home Tuesday afternoon, according to police. Get notified about exclusive offers every week! Frederick Then is the 14th person to be arrested in connection with the stabbing death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz in the Bronx last June. Prosecutors previously said the teen succumbed to a neck wound caused by a 4-and-a-half inch knife that severed his jugular vein. Its Wednesday, June 20. Both times the worker refuses to help the young teen. You can follow her on Twitter:@tonitamess. (Obtained by New York Daily News ). It is unclear what the jury decided on. A teenager hunted down and dragged from a New York City bodega, then swarmed by attackers outside. The defense attorney for the man who allegedly dealt that throat cut took offense at that. They said their subsets, called Los Sures and Bad Boys, abided by a strict code of conduct. Just two days before Junior was killed, a 14-year-old was seriously injured in this attack. The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner announced the cause of death for slain teen Lesandro Guzman-Feliz. Why do so many buy into a life that restricts their freedom, imposes beatings for disobeying gang rules, and calls for violence to others? If convicted, they face life in prison. Dr. Rodriguez said its possible if pressure was applied to the wound and Junior was brought to the hospital earlier, he could have survived. ", If you have a gun, you shoot, he testified. Defense lawyers for the four other defendants said in their closing arguments that the order from Mr. Suero had only been to injure a Sunset member, not to kill someone. WPIX reported that theyre charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault, and conspiracy. However, all 12 alleged gang members were indicted on second degree murder, manslaughter, conspiracy, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon. WNBC reported that the grisly images brought some of the jurors to tears. We dont know. We will never sell or share your information without your consent. The ADAs argument also included graphic autopsy photos including the slit on Juniors neck the medical examiner says killed him. We talked to police sources, family members and other witnesses. Junior and the bodega owner appear to have an exchange with Kevin Alvarez before Junior is grabbed and beaten on the ground. How do you protect your children from predators? Crime, Criminal Defense Attorneys, Gangs, Lesandro Junior Guzman Feliz, Manuel Rivera, Murder, Toni Messina. They probablywon't forget itfor the rest of their lives.. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Guzman-Feliz for a rival when they stabbed him to death, Last defendant convicted in 2018 killing of Bronx teen Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz, 5 gang members plead guilty to killing of Bronx teen, 16 members of violent Trinitarios gang charged with high-end NYC robberies in sweeping indictment, Two gang leaders convicted in murder of Junior Guzman-Feliz, Trinitarios were driving around looking for Sunset members, Juniors mom at one point screaming and sobbing in court. In the video, we see the 15-year-old ask for the help from the worker of the Cruz and Chiky Grocery on E. 183rd St. in the Bronx. The jury, comprised of 11 women and one man, reached the verdict Friday after going into deliberations Thursday. Meanwhile, during closing arguments the defense told jurors that the prosecution had failed to prove the suspects wanted to kill Junior, arguing testimony from star witnesses showed the men intended to hurt Junior, not kill him.. Assistant District Attorney Morgan Dolan used her time to go into detail about what the five defendants are accused of doing trapping Guzman at the Bronx bodega and hacking him to death with a machete. They also face manslaughter, conspiracy, gang assault and weapons charges. Secure New Clients Using A Content Marketing Funnel, Seth Klarman Doesnt Care Whether J.K. Rowling Is Cancelled. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Kevin Alvarez, third from left, and Elvin Garcia, both members of the Trinitarios gang, appearing before a judge in 2018. New surveillance footage shows the moments before and after Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was brutally jumped and stabbed to death. They carried weapons for two reasons for their own protection and to use them to hurt (not kill) a Sunset. Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence, the Bronx district attorney, Darcel D. Clark, said. Reyes said the order implied: If you have a gun, shoot it, if you a have a knife, you stab, if you have a machete, you use it.. They said that the store did not show good moral character. There is also a petition being spread around demanding the store get its license revoked. But in this case, she couldnt. "A bright, beloved, athletic, soon-to . Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. AP Bronx gangbangers were given the order to inflict "any kind of damage". Frederick Then was arrested in 2018 in connection with Lesandros death. Then he starts running to St. Barnabas Hospital, just one block away. Carrion says the testimony that all of the other wounds were superficial and did not cause Juniors death may not help the defense as much as theyd like. The teen reportedly bled to death steps from the emergency room. Heres How To Get Yours Right. The indicted are due back in court Oct. 25. Prior to deliberations starting, the judge told the jury they could deliberate over the five defendants on trial separately and return individual verdicts or wait to return the verdicts of all five at once. Video showed the boy being dragged outside the bodega and set upon by a gang of men who hacked at him as he struggled to defend himself. This 15-year-old boy, in the moments before his death, fought and fought like hell, Dolan said, according to the New York Daily News. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. When Junior ran, the group gave chase. We've received your submission. "This 15-year-old boy, moments before death, fought like . Manuel Rivera is accused of repeatedly stabbing Junior. ", Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence, said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. Prosecutors introduced three clips of video. On his way there, Junior was in touch with this friend, who lives on Adams Place and who, according to our reporting, is not in a gang, either. A group of gang members armed with machetes and knives. The panel found all five guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy and second-degree gang assault. : Reach out just to catch up. Members of the Trinitarios gang were hunting for enemies in the Bronx last summer when they found a 15-year-old boy on his phone and walking alone. The boy was slashed in the neck and died after running to a hospital three blocks away. She described, in heartbreaking detail, how Guzman-Feliz looked up at her after the attack and motioned her to call 911. Guzman-Felizs memory has also been honored through the renaming of a street and a summer camp at a state park, as well as prompting the Safe Haven Bodega program in the city. The officer said Juniors clothes had to be repackaged the day after they were vouchered into evidence as the blood was soaking through the paper bags they had been stored in. Lesandro, who had hidden behind the counter, pleaded with the men, saying he was not the person they were looking for. She replied that the wounds they spoke of were superficial and that the only wound that caused his death was the one to his neck. The cars briefly stop at this intersection, and then turn left in the direction of Juniors path. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The blood-soaked clothes worn by slain Bronx teen Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz as he was hacked at by a machete-wielding mob were displayed to jurors at the boy's murder trial Thursday,. Go after Sunset, you know what you have to do, Suero reportedly told the men. The store owner unlocked a door leading to the area where Lesandro was hiding, Mr. Alvarez said, and told them to take the fight outside. Knitting, perhaps? Friends and family told us that Junior wasnt in a gang and the police have no such indication, either. Junior would go on to die outside of St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. Officer Kyle Oiwaka of the 48th Precinct took the stand on the 12th day of trial to testify about responding to a reported knife assault on the June 2018 night Junior was killed, and gave chilling details of the gory scene. But the glee I saw in the eyes of spectators at the reading of straight convictions for Murder I was not founded. Some Work Things Are Optional. This 15-year-old boy, moments before death, fought like hell to get away, said Dolan. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said each of the . Do not sell my information. Richard Harbus "A Bronx jury found the two leaders guilty for their role in the murder, closing another chapter of. She has not been back to court since. But it was Mr. Martinez Estrella who delivered the fatal blow when he shoved a large knife into the side of Lesandros neck, penetrating 4.5 inches and cutting his jugular vein, a medical examiner testified. Hes making more money from Hogwarts: Legacy than her anyway. Mr. Martinez Estrella, a probationary member, boasted to the others that Lesandro would not eat for a very long time because I hit him in the neck, Mr. Reyes testified. Even as the evidence demonstrated that Junior was killed by only one man, Janaki Estrella-Martinez, the false narrative had taken hold and all five defendants were convicted of the highest crime in New York State murder by torture. That wound was inflicted by one defendant alone, Mr. Estrella. Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, who went by the nickname Junior, was a member of the Police Departments Law Enforcement Explorers program before he was killed last year. Surveillance video shows Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz being dragged out and then hacked to death by five men with machetes on June 20, 2018, in the Bronx. Once that video was out, it took on a life of its own causing the defendants to lose the presumption of innocence and any chance for a fair trial (at least that close in time to the event itself under one year. But at the end, it has a happy ending," said Manny Ortiz.
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