Certain words come to mind when I think about your involvement, he said. If youre interested in the case and the identities of the perpetrators, heres what we know. Indeed, before his sentencing, Martinez Estrella, along with Jose Muniz, 23, smirked for cameras in the courtroom and threw up gang signs for the violent Dominican street crew. These men, leaders of a Trinitarios set, commanded their members to go out and commit violence, DA Darcel Clark said in a statement. Seven other suspects had previously been sentenced in the case. Lesandro (Junior) Guzman-Feliz was stabbed to death by men with machetes on June 20, 2018, in the Bronx, outside the Cruz and Chiky Grocery store on the corner of E. 183rd St. and Bathgate Ave. in Belmont. This story has been shared 658,628 times. The men chased Lesandro for blocks, catching up to him as he tried to hide inside the Cruz and Chiky Grocery, a bodega at East 183rd Street and Bathgate Avenue. At the trial, he said he was a "probationary"member of the gang and was following orders to bring Guzman-Feliz out of the bodega, according to a New York Times report. Juniors mother, Leandra, reminisced how her son loved music and playing online games and was an avid fan of the New York Yankees. Captured on video, the grisly killing of the 15-year-old boy last year outside a Bronx bodega in a case of mistaken identity shocked the city. Where is Erin Kreups Ex-Husband Terris Stahl Now. Photo Credit: NYPD. Believing the teen was a member of the rival gang, they chased him into a bodega on East 183rd Street in Belmont, dragged him out onto the sidewalk and stabbed him to death, the district attorney said. Santiago, of the Bronx, also stabbedGuzman-Feliz. He added that Muniz slept in city hallways and worked two jobs so he could send money to his mother for medicine. The savage pack stabbed the teen outside of the Cruz and Chiky bodega after he was dragged out of the Belmont store in a case of mistaken identity a slaying that shocked the city, and grabbed national headlines. Garcias hand waswoundedduring the attack, according to the district attorneys office. Now, its being used solely for the accused Trinitarios gang members charged in the June 20 slaying. Ive never seen an entire unit dedicated to just three suspects, a source told PIX11. The gang has provided the men with money, status and protection in return for their unflinching loyalty in carrying out orders from their superiors. Within the following couple of months, 14 members of the Trinitarios gang were arrested for the homicide. Diego Suero and Frederick Then were said to have given the marching orders that led to the 15-year . It brings closure in the criminal justice aspect but does not bring an end to the pain Juniors family and friends still suffer, Clark said Friday. But ahead of his sentencing, Muniz begged for forgiveness. Jose Muniz, 22, was sentenced Friday to 25 years to life in prison with the chance of parole. Seen in a white T-shirt and black baseball hat in the surveillance video, Alvarez was one of the men to follow Guzman-Feliz into the bodega. She also argued that the defendants had gone out that night planning to kill someone and knew precisely what they were doing. Guzman-Feliz died after collapsing near the entrance of St. Barnabas Hospital. He was wearing a black T-shirt and a green head wrap. [22] The corner of Bathgate Avenue and 183rd Street, where Guzman-Feliz was killed, was ceremonially renamed "Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz Way" in February 2019, on his mother's birthday. She also reportedlytestified during cross-examination that he told her they did not set out to kill anyone. Estrella, of Freeport, Long Island, made the final and fatal slash wound to Guzman-Felizs neck. [8] The video shows Guzman-Feliz re-entering the store; however, he appeared to be sent outside. Five members were convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced in October 2019 for Juniors homicide. [14], Lesandro Guzman-Feliz (November 11, 2002 June 20, 2018), known as "Junior", was 15 years old at the time of his death. A relative also claimed a Trinitarios gang member sent them a SnapChat message stating the attackers confused Junior with someone else at the time of the attack. Garcias girlfriendtestified in the trial on May 28. Those three men Danel Fernandez, 21; Jose Muniz, 21 and Santiago Rodriguez, 24 have been isolated from other inmates because of threats made against them, sources said. Lesandro (Junior) Guzman-Feliz was stabbed to death by men with machetes on June 20, 2018, in the Bronx, outside the Cruz and Chiky Grocery store on the corner of E. 183rd St. and Bathgate Ave.. Front page of the New York Daily News on Oct. 12, 2019: Machete Fiends Get Hard Time -- Judge throws book at Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz' killers. Bodega surveillance footage shows several men stabbing Guzman-Feliz with large knives and machetes. Dog and cat antibiotics are medications prescribed by a veterinarian that can help treat a bacterial infection. Our officers are brave public servants who make our jails safer, a rep for the Department of Correction said in a statement. A hashtag, #justiceforjunior, was created and went viral on social media outlets such as Twitter and Instagram. The police later arrested 14 people and charged them with taking part in Lesandros murder. Unfortunately, his dream was crushed by these dangerous gang members, said Feliz. Then all these men, not a single one said, No, no, no, dont do it, Feliz continued, adding that on that tragic night there were two deaths: Junior and I, who was left dead inside., This group of evil criminals using their gang-related activities decided to go out and kill, she said. Lesandros father, Lisandro Guzman, told the court that since his sons murder he has struggled to sleep. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Here I am, a mother without my sonan innocent, 15 year-old boy who was not a gang member who roamed the streets with bad intentions, mom Leandra Feliz said. With the advancement of technology, the police system also received a significant boost in the form of Real-Time Crime Centers (RTCCs) technical hubs for law enforcement to ingest and analyze surveillance, intelligence, and data from several sources in real-time, including live feeds from the extensive camera networks in place. On June 20, 2018, at 11:30p.m. (EDT), 15-year-old Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz left his apartment to meet with a friend. The six suspects sentenced this week chased Junior into a bodega in Belmont. Muniz, along with co-defendants Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, 25, Elvin Garcia, 25, were each hit with a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. The six defendants pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November and December. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Thanks for contacting us. He told the store owner that Guzman-Feliz was believed to be part of a rival gang that had shot one of their own, and the store owner told them to take the fight outside, Alvarez testified. Police said Manuel Rivera is seen in the surveillance footage stabbing "Junior" mulitple times. The brutal attack, which was caught on surveillance video, shocked the community and inspired several tips to the NYPD, helping them make the first arrests just days later. 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A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 16. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Guzman-Feliz was mistakenly targeted as a . According to local news reports,Jonaiki, then 25, was sentenced to life without parole. Correction Officers Benevolent Association PresidentElias Husamudeen released the following statement about the segregation of the suspects from the general population at Rikers: Housing these three dangerous inmates because they pose a serious threat to others proves two points if nothing else. Estrella previously served 10 months in prison for an assault in April 2016, according to records. They acted as key witnesses helping police identify the others involved in the vicious stabbing of Junior, suspected to be members of a local gang named Trinitarios. In a photo obtained exclusively by PIX11 News, Manuel Rivera a suspect in the June 20, 2018, killing of 15-year-old Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz in the Bronx is seen playing cars in Rikers Island, where hes being held in general population, unlike his fellow suspected gang members who are being held in a jail all to themselves at Rikers. Luis A. Cabrera Santos, 25 at time of arrest. A Bronx judge slammed the five gangbangers who killed Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz with lengthy prison terms Friday, but saved his sharpest rebuke for the teens cowardly executioner. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. On June 24, 2018, Kevin Alvarez and Michael Sosa Reyes turned themselves in since their faces were visible on the videos circulating the internet. He is seen in the video wearing a gray tank top. Photo Credit: Passaic County prosecutor's office The 14 suspects accused in the fatal stabbing. Danel Fernandez, 26, was sentenced to 18 years in prison by Supreme Court Judge Ralph Fabrizio. Photo Credit: NYPD. He is seen in a red hat in the video. [2] Eventually, Guzman-Feliz sought refuge in a bodega at Bathgate Avenue and East 183rd Street in Belmont, Bronx, near his residence. I was there, but I did not have an intention and thats why I used the other side of the machete.. The chilling videos showed the chase began somewhere behind St. Barnabas Medical Center near DAuria Murphy Triangle, with Juniorrunning blocks and blocks, chased by a gang of men. Thanks for contacting us. Fernandez appears to be holding a knife in the video, but doesnt stab Guzman-Feliz. You are the poster children for danger to society., My hope is that you will never have a chance to hurt another child in the way you hurt mine, the heartbroken dad said. The defendants in the killing of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz shortly before their sentencing on Friday. He was a member of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Explorers program, a group for youths interested in law enforcement careers. Gabriel Ramirez Concepcion, 26 at time of arrest. He told Martinez Estrella that he has previously shown little remorse and that the sudden show of emotion is the first indication Ive had that you have any empathy for the victim or remorse and it rings a little hollow this late in the game.. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. He was found guilty.. They face up to life in prison without parole when they are sentenced on July 16. Photo Credit: NYPD. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was born on November 11, 2002, to Leandra Feliz and Lisandro Guzman in Bronx in Bronx County, New York. The video shows him stumbling out of the bodega and running east on 183rd Street toward St. Barnabas Hospital, one block away. He was fatally wounded by a stab to the neck that was 4/ inches deep, a pathologist told. As of now, a total of seven gang members have been convicted and sentenced in the 2018 death of 15-year-old Junior. The prisoners have received death threats. The final six gang members who help beat and hack 15-year-old Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz to death outside a Bronx bodega in 2018 were sentenced to prison, officials announced Friday. Judge Robert Neary called Estrellas reasoning excuses and said what he did was cowardly. Five reputed members of the Trinitarios gang pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter charges for the killing of Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz in the Bronx four years ago. These actions were all captured on camera leaving millions of people devastated. The boy ran toward a nearby hospital, but collapsed and bled to death before he could get help. Can anyone say the actions of my client were any worse than Kevin Alvarez? Goldberg asked. Mr. Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago refused to speak before his sentencing, offering no apology nor a plea for mercy. The leader and the second-in-command of the Los Sures set of the Trinitarios summoned their members and asked them to carry out violence against their rivals, the Sunset set of the gang. [12] Police tip lines received a "torrent" of calls from witnesses and other people identifying the suspects. His family said he loved basketball, riding his bike, and playing PlayStation. Terry Monahan said, That video made it on social media very quickly. Two reputed leaders of the Trinitarios gang have been convicted for their roles in the brutal stabbing death of Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz outside a Bronx bodega, officials announced Friday. He lost a lot of blood which led to shock to the body. Muniz said of Guzman-Feliz, It may be true he was not a gang member, but the day my friend was shot, he was there., Later, Guzman-Felizs older brother, Manny Ortiz, told reporters outside the Bronx Hall of Justice, You cannot give credit to a criminal. Three men Danel Fernandez, 21; Jose Muniz, 21 and Santiago Rodriguez, 24 accused in the killing of Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz have been isolated from other inmates because of threats made against them, sources said. [30] Michael Sosa Reyes, a former suspect, was a cooperating witness. So, as the 22-year old convicted killer and gang member apologized to Junior Guzman-Felizs family and said he prayed on his knees every night for God to give them strength he revealed, for the first time, the motive in the 15-year-olds murder. Leandra Feliz, mom of Junior, during impact statement. Lesandro was walking alone at about 11:40 p.m. on June 20, 2018, in the Belmont section of the Bronx, looking at his phone, when he was accosted by several members of the Los Surs faction of the Trinitarios. This story has been shared 658,628 times. The most effective tool we have in protecting both Correction Officers and inmates from other inmates is punitive segregation. Weekends have become a battle to stay busy for him because those were the days he used to spend with his son. When the other men rushed over toGuzman-Feliz with machetes and knives, Alvarez said he backed off and "was scared of what was about to happen," the Times report said. The videos went viral, with people starting hashtag campaigns on the internet, and the mounting pressure on the perpetrators helped the police catch a breakthrough in the case within four days of the stabbing. He began to run and was chased for several blocks by gang members occupying the vehicles. Frederick Then, 20 at time of arrest NEW YORK An entire unit meant to house 50 inmates at Rikers Island has been set aside for three of the men accused of killing 15-year-old Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz at a Bronx bodega, a. He is suspected of chasing Guzman-Feliz toward the bodega and police said he was seen in one of the vehicles associated with the attack. The defendants actions culminated in the brutal attack on Lesandro Junior Guzman Since Junior was taken from his family, we have been relentless to attain justice for him, Clark said in a statement. He gave the others the order to bring Guzman-Feliz out of the bodega,Alvarez said. This story has been shared 658,628 times. Cell phone footage showed Guzman-Feliz collapse on a step at a security booth a few yards from the hospital entrance. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. A jury found five of the men guilty offirst- and second-degree murder, conspiracy andgang assault on Friday. (Obtained by NY Daily News / ), Members of the Los Sures faction went after Junior on June 20, 2018, believing him to be a rival member of Sunset.. Public outrage ensued when the graphic video of Guzman-Feliz's killing began to circulate on the Internet. Mr. Martinez, who prosecutors said struck the fatal blow, was sentenced to life without parole. Ronald Urena;. The jury took two days to reach a guilty verdict for the defendants: Mr. Martinez Estrella, 25; Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, 25; Jose Muniz, 23; Manuel Rivera, 19; and Elvin Garcia, 25. Police say this surveillance image shows Elvin Garcia wearing a black mask outside the bodega where "Junior" was killed. The suspect was allegedly a rival gang member. Five other gang members stabbed and slashed the teen over and over again with knives and a machete, killing him, prosecutors said. NEW YORK (WABC) -- Sunday marks three years since 15-year-old Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was killed in a brutal gang attack outside a Bronx deli. Public outrage arose when graphic video of the murder began to circulate on the Internet. Five gang members convicted in the brutal killing of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz outside a Bronx bodega were sentenced Friday and could spend the rest of their lives behind bars. She said, I called him because I feel like you take too long. As such, they were segregated from other prisoners and received heightened security protection at the jail. Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, 24 at time of arrest His family included: his father, Lisandro Guzman; his mother, Leandra Feliz; his older sister, Genesis Collado-Feliz; and his brother, Manuel Ortiz. He is seen in the surveillance footage wearing a black baseball cap and black long-sleeve shirt. After his murder conviction last week, Muniz, 23, shouted, Popote! a Spanish nickname for the Trinitarios. They face a maximum of life in prison without parole at their July 16 sentencing. They face up to 25 years to life behind bars. The graphic footage of the killing sent shockwaves through the country and the world. Surveillance video shows Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz being dragged from the Cruz and Chiky grocery store in the Bronx on June 20, 2018. . In addition, the gang leader expelled the killers from the gang as a result of this mistaken-identity killing. The gruesome murder a few minutes later prompted outrage on social media and calls for justice from elected officials and celebrities, including the rapper Cardi B and the Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia. Public outrage arose when graphic video of the murder began to circulate on the Internet. Danel Fernandez also is accused ofdragging "Junior" out of the bodega. The teen was a sophomore at the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter School and aspired to join the New York Police Department as a detective. Members of the Trinitarios gang charged in and dragged the teenager out onto the sidewalk, where they hacked him with knives. On Friday, five of the men seen on the video attacking the youth, Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, known as Junior, were sentenced to life in prison in a Bronx courtroom, after being convicted of murder and gang assault in June. Photo Credit: NYPD. Danel Fernandez, 21 at time of arrest Well, Im here to tell youyou are not a real Dominican, the judge said. Also Friday, two suspects Ronald Urena, 33, and Jose Tavarez, 26 were sentenced to 15 years. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In thesurveillance video, he is seen in a black T-shirt. The suspects punched Junior and dragged him from the store to the sidewalk, where five other Trinitarios hacked him relentlessly with knives and a machete. Thats why my conscience is clean. Every time those four inmates at Rikers need any kind of service, be it medication, commissary, dentist, medical, they are escorted by two corrections officers and a captain recording them with a handheld camera. The organs began to shut down.. In the same way the videos of their violence went viral the punishment should be equal so that the New York City can be safer for everyone., The mom said her son, who was in the NYPDs Explorers program, dreamed of becoming a detective so he can protect this city.. You disgraced your family and the judge said it was troubling that Muniz yelled Trinitarios to the death as he left court on the day of the verdict. Judge Robert Neary handed down the sentences to the Trinitarios gang members separately in Bronx Criminal Court, first sending Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, 25, to prison for life without the possibility of parole for the heinous caught-on-camera June 20, 2018 machete and knife killing of 15-year-old Guzman-Feliz. I do not know what its like to lose a child, Muniz, who also spoke in Spanish, told the court. On the night of Guzman-Felizs death, the group had gathered at Sueros home to plan the attack, police said. Junior's mother, Leandra Guzman, was in the courtroom as her son's killers learned their fates. A sixth suspect, Luis Cabrera Santos, 29, was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison, the DAs office said. That is why I used the other side of the machete to cause no injury, he told the court. A fifth defendant, Jose Tavarez, 26, pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced Wednesday. In the first photo, Muniz accused of hacking the teen with a machete is seen leaning against a wall, while two other suspects, Fernandez and Rodriguez, sit on the floor. Initial reports indicated that the incident was sparked by a sex video involving a gang member's niece and a curly-haired male teenager, who looked very similar to Guzman-Feliz. Munizs lawyer, Martin Goldberg, had long argued in court that Muniz had used the flat part of the blade in the attack and claimed on Friday the machete wound was so superficial a tube of ointment could have treated Muniz wound to Junior. Danilo Payamps Pacheco, 21 at time of arrest Lesandros mother, Leandra Feliz. Concepcion, of the Bronx, was arrested in July on the same day that cops picked up Suero. The dying boy, with a lethal wound to his neck, bled out on the sidewalk outside St. Barnabas Hospital. The five men who hacked him to death were convicted of first-degree murder by a jury in 2019 and are serving sentences ranging from life without parole to 23 years to life. It was then that Muniz met the reputed leader of the Los Sures sect of the Trinitarios gang, Diego Suero, who gave Muniz a place to say, he said. These killers should never be able to step out of a jail cell, so . 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, convicted of the murder of Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz, one of five men found guilty of fatally stabbing Guzman-Feliz, Gangbangers first-degree murder conviction overturned in brutal machete slaying of Junior Guzman-Feliz, 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. The murder of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz occurred on June 20, 2018; the 15-year-old was killed by members of the Dominican-American gang Trinitarios in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. The New York Police Department opened its real-time crime center in 2005 for $11 million, and it played a significant role in solving Juniors murder. Mr. Riveras lawyer, Toni Messina, said her client was too young to fully comprehend what he was doing. The authorities also posted the screengrabs of the attackers on social media, seeking help from the public in identifying them and a reward of $25,000 for information leading to arrests. All six suspects will also serve five years post-release supervision. [7], The incident was captured on CCTV video inside the shop, as well as on cell phone video taken from an overhead angle by a resident of one of the building's upper floors. Senseless is one of these words. Guzman-Felizs devastated parents kept their composure throughout the mornings proceedings. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. So, as the 22-year old convicted killer and gang member apologized to Junior Guzman-Feliz's family and said he prayed on his knees every night "for God to give them strength" he revealed,. The killing, captured on video, rattled New Yorkers like few in recent memory: A 15-year-old boy frantically ran into a deli and begged a clerk to let him hide behind the counter. Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, 25, Jose Muniz, 23, and Elvin Garcia, 25, were all sentenced to 25 years to life. Then supervised the attack from a distance reporting back to Suero that they carried out the hit, prosecutors have said. The suspected gang members allegedly chased Guzman-Feliz for blocks the night of June 20. Justice Robert A. Neary called the killing senseless, savage and cowardly as he sentenced the first defendant, Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, 25, who prosecutors said had struck the fatal blow. But the one that often comes to my mind is cowardly.. On June 20, 2018, theyplottedto attack a rival set of the gang called Sunset,Clark said. The five Trinitarios gang members convicted in the brutal slaying of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz were sentenced Friday to 25 years to life.
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