Sofia Henry also testified Thursday, telling jurors about photos she took on the night of the incident. At least 10 other people have been maimed this summer in tit-for-tat attacks in the Bronx. Richard Harbus "A Bronx jury found the two leaders guilty for their role in the murder, closing another chapter of. Witnesses say these two police officers stood by watching the scene. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz, 15, was slashed in the neck with a machete at a bodega in the Bronx on June 19, 2018. WNBC reported that the . "Today's verdicts will not bring Junior back. Police had seized the footage that night and it got leaked. Frederick Then was arrested in 2018 in connection with Lesandros death. ", If you have a gun, you shoot, he testified. This story has been shared 137,355 times. Friends and family told us that Junior wasnt in a gang and the police have no such indication, either. Parked outside the bodega are the cars that chased Junior. Do not sell my information. Toni Messina has tried over 100 cases and has been practicing criminal law and immigration since 1990. However, all 12 alleged gang members were indicted on second degree murder, manslaughter, conspiracy, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon. He makes it to the entrance of the hospital before collapsing. Criminal defense attorney Chris Carrion has been observing the trial from the start. During closing arguments, some jurors were seen crying as autopsy photos were displayed. They're not gonna forget it. : Enjoy. Goldberg hammered the medical examiner to get his point across that his client did not cause any physical injury to Junior, because a machete would have resulted in decapitation or mutilation. Police have identified them as: Danel Fernandez, Kevin Alvarez, and Michael Sosa Reyes, who has not been charged in relation to Juniors killing. (Obtained by New York Daily News ). 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. Is that why Junior was targeted? 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. 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.. 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. Alvarez said he and other gang members tried to block Lesandro with their cars, but the teenager fled into the Cruz and Chiky Grocery, a bodega at East 183rd Street and Bathgate Avenue. Amazingly, a customer is seen purchasing an item over Juniors blood. At least eight other men are on the lookout some, armed with knives. They hang out on a stoop close by, chatting and listening to hip-hop, according to Jason. What Better Place To Network Than The Facebook Friends List? But the glee I saw in the eyes of spectators at the reading of straight convictions for Murder I was not founded. LexisNexis Brief Analysis produces powerful, near-instant legal argumentation insights using the power of AI. Photo Credit: Marisol Diaz-Gordon "It was just starting," he said. . Man arrested for stealing fire department truck:, Coincidence prompted Powerball winner to buy ticket, Two women attacked from behind by group: NYPD, Moose on the Loose: Battle to become Yankees shortstop, Pop-up grocery store opens in Greenwich Village, Expert raises awareness about eating disorders, NY Rep. Dan Goldman talks House ethics probe into, What to know about teens and their mental health, Read Across America Day kicks off at NYC bookstore, Womens History Month: Highlighting women in medicine. His history was whitewashed. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Junior rushes into this bodega just one block from his home. 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. People visit murder site to mourn the death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz in Bronx in New York, United States on June 27, 2018. . 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. The murder of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, known as Junior, drew outrage across New York City. Mr. Sueros trial is expected to start soon. He was picked on and one time, beaten up so badly his ribs were broken. The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner announced the cause of death for slain teen Lesandro Guzman-Feliz. 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. We've received your submission. The first verdict was announced against Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, who delivered the fatal blow with a kitchen knife that ultimately killed Guzman a year ago next week. Manuel Rivera came from the Dominican Republic (legally) at age 15 with his dad and two sisters. She said it cut the bone that protects the spinal cord and left an exit wound on the other side of his neck. At 10:05 p.m., security footage shows Junior leaving home to meet his friend Jason Velez at this corner. After Junior was stabbed outside the Bronx bodega, he is seen in surveillance video clutching his neck and attempting to run to the nearby hospital, where he eventually collapsed on a sidewalk and bled to death. They gathered outside of Mr. Sueros apartment building on Boston Road, where they smoked hookah and played music. At Least Your Colleague Spat Wasnt This Bad: Some things we just dont share with the class. Blood was splattered on the floor and counter of Cruz & Chiki Deli on Bathgate Ave and 183rd St., the store Junior was dragged from as he desperately sought refuge from his attackers, the detective said. Mr. Alvarez testified that Lesandro was not in the photos. It appeared from a video of the crime (caught from multiple angles) that each attacked him viciously. Just two days before Junior was killed, a 14-year-old was seriously injured in this attack. Nine others charged in the killing are awaiting trial. Nine other suspects are expected to stand trial on lesser charges in connection to the boys death later his year. Yesterday lawyers for four of the suspects accused of stabbing 15-year-old . Five other people have been arrested and accused of involvement in the crime. Wounds to his hands believed to be caused by a sharp object, possibly a knife, were considered to be defensive wounds where Junior put his hands up to protect his face. Alvarez, who testified last week as a cooperating witness, pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in a deal with Bronx prosecutors and is expected to serve no prison time. They said their subsets, called Los Sures and Bad Boys, abided by a strict code of conduct. UPDATE! 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. Privacy Center | Last week, court officers had to restrain and remove a screaming Leandra Feliz as Judge Robert Neary blasted her as hysterical.. Prosecutors introduced three clips of video. (Obtained by NY Daily News). The second day of trial in the killing of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was emotional and filled with graphic video and photos. [Featured Image: Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz/Facebook], 6-Year-Old Girl, 2 Adults Critically Wounded by Gunmen Looking for the Little Girls Father, Juror: Alex Murdaugh Convinces Himself of His Own Lies, Detroit Man Charged With Killing Friends Tot Daughter, Lesandro Guzman-Feliz valiantly avoided multiple attempted stabbings. The friend says they felt things were getting dicey and went inside. Its Wednesday, June 20. In a panic, he tries to hide behind the counter. I represented one of the Machete Monsters and I liked him. Yes, he put the knife through his neck. If they did not participate, the lawyers said, they would have been disciplined. This 15-year-old boy, moments before death, fought like hell to get away, said Dolan. See our privacy policy. They carried weapons for two reasons for their own protection and to use them to hurt (not kill) a Sunset. On the night of June 20th , he was ordered by a leader nicknamed Psycho to find a Sunset (a rival gang member). 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. It was very painful, Guzman told reporters in Spanish. He only said that one word -- "water," she testified. Juniors parents, Leandra Feliz and Lisandro Guzman, were not present in the courtroom during the medical examiners testimony. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. In recent months, turf wars have spiked among rival Trinitario factions. Lesandro, who had hidden behind the counter, pleaded with the men, saying he was not the person they were looking for. Putting four young men in jail for life for a murder they didnt intend (each was either running away, or nowhere near Junior when Estrella inflicted the fatal wound) should thrill no one. I explained to her what happened and she told me that I had to come back and face my consequences, he said about confessing to his mom. GRAPHIC: CCTV and bystanders filming with their phones captured the gruesome Bronx bodega machete stabbing murder of Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman by Trinitarios gang members. Photo Credit: Marisol Diaz-Gordon 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. They also argued their clients were pretending to stab Lesandro because gang leaders were watching the assault. Only by addressing these issues might other young men like Junior not be killed, and still others like four of the five defendants in this case, not be condemned to life in prison for the actions of a few seconds done by a fellow gang member which they never intended. The friend says he told Junior not to come over because it was late. The teen wanted to be a police. She has not been back to court since. 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. How do you protect your children from predators? All of the men charged have pleaded not guilty. But some of the most powerful evidence came from two gang members involved in the attack who testified for the prosecution in return for lenient sentences: Kevin Alvarez, 20, and Michael Reyes, 20. His understanding, as was everyones, was that the group was ordered to physically harm (not kill) any Sunset they found. Dimas Sanfiorenzo is the Managing Editor for Okayplayer. 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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. Closing arguments continue in the murder trial of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz. We dont know. Todays verdict fortifies the Bronx communitys stand against violence.. Last Friday, five men were convicted of murder in the first degree for the killing of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman Feliz in June 2018. Secure New Clients Using A Content Marketing Funnel, Seth Klarman Doesnt Care Whether J.K. Rowling Is Cancelled. Nearly a year after Lesandro was killed, a jury found five of the men guilty of murder and related charges on Friday, capping five weeks of testimony that provided a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Trinitarios, a highly organized and brutally violent Dominican gang. 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. Todays verdict fortifies the Bronx communitys stand against violence., Lesandros mother, Leandra Feliz said, Im not going to have my son back, but those killers, those murderers, theyre not going to be outside killing another kid.. Except thats not what happened. He was walking toward Adams Place, a small street about five minutes away thats known for gang activity. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. He was then stabbed and hacked to death with machetes by several attackers after being mistakenly identified. 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.