Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was murdered outside of a Bronx deli in 2019. Guzman-Feliz's death sparked outrage in the Bronx and beyond and spurred the allocation of $18 million toward gang prevention in the borough. In recent months, turf wars have spiked among rival Trinitario factions. Video footage was released on social media that showed the murder. The New York City Police Foundation announced it planned to set up a scholarship in his name. This story has been shared 137,355 times. A post shared by Robert Williams (@areumdawo_saja) on Jun 25, 2018 at 11:00pm PDT. Understanding Big Law: A Must-Read Guide To One Of The Most Challenging Workplaces In The World Is Now Available. 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. It also made his story easier to use as a rallying cry to target gangs that attract and control vulnerable teens like Manuel. 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 murder of 15-year-old Guzman-Feliz, who was known as Junior, has captivated the community and public interest, partly because the brutal June 20 attack was caught on surveillance video where the teen is seen being dragged outside the bodega and attacked by a gang of five men who stabbed him with knives and hacked him with a machete as he struggled to defend himself. The media ran with the narrative, promoted by the prosecution and the family of the deceased, that the 15-year-old was killed in a case of mistaken identification by gangbangers, viciously stabbed by all of them and killed, Caesar-like, from the cuts of many wounds. They hang out on a stoop close by, chatting and listening to hip-hop, according to Jason. That order came during a bloody feud within the Trinitarios that had pitted Sunset, which is based in Brooklyn, against Mr. Sueros two Bronx sets, the witnesses said. I didnt see the person who had just finished getting stabbed there, Mr. Alvarez said, choking back tears. 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. The knife made it from the right side to the left, hit the muscle, hit the (jugular) vein, went behind the throat, hit the tissue on the back side of the mouth, Dr. Rodriguez said. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Surveillance video shows Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz being dragged from the Cruz and Chiky grocery store in the Bronx on June 20, 2018. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Dr. Rodriguez said its possible if pressure was applied to the wound and Junior was brought to the hospital earlier, he could have survived. stop killing our brothersThe full story about 15-year old teen junior stabbed to death Justice for. Hes making more money from Hogwarts: Legacy than her anyway. Community member Elizabeth De Jesus likened the photo to a horror movie. (Obtained by NY Daily News). Newly released videos show Junior's desperate final moments before being hacked to death PIX11 News 186K subscribers Subscribe Like Save 3.8M views 4 years ago Show more Show more Notice. GRAPHIC: CCTV and bystanders filming with their phones captured the gruesome Bronx bodega machete stabbing murder of Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman by Trinitarios gang members. But the glee I saw in the eyes of spectators at the reading of straight convictions for Murder I was not founded. Anyone can read what you share. Some Trinitarios took orders from Mr. Suero, whom they called Santa Claus, according to Mr. Alvarez and Michael Reyes, who also testified for the prosecution. 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 vicious murder in June of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz just blocks from his Bronx home drew outrage from across the city and beyond. Dixons closing arguments also included the presentation of autopsy photos showing the wound to Guzman-Felizs neck which reportedly killed him. Warning Graphic Video Below. The family of Junior had mixed emotions after the verdicts were announced, but Guzman's brother said ultimately, "justice was served. 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. ", Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence, said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. That isgonna stick with this jury for the rest of the weekend, he says. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz, 15, was dragged out of the Cruz and Chiky Grocery bodega at E. 183rd St. and Bathgate Ave in the Belmont neighborhood on Wednesday night. A teenager hunted down and dragged from a New York City bodega, then swarmed by attackers outside. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. When the attackers walk in, the worker points out where Junior is hiding, and he gets dragged outof the store. After the attack, the gang returned to Mr. Sueros home on Boston Road, Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Reyes said. 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. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz, 15, was slashed in the neck with a machete at a bodega in the Bronx on June 19, 2018. Officers were called to a . Warning: Details of Fridays testimony are graphic in nature and may be disturbing to some. She said it cut the bone that protects the spinal cord and left an exit wound on the other side of his neck. The defense will have a chance Monday to call witnesses to the stand if they chose. "I saw a smile on my mothers face really, really excited.". During closing arguments, some jurors were seen crying as autopsy photos were displayed. Hes at home with his mother. Instead, he said, he watched as other Trinitarios members dragged Junior outside and hacked him to death with machetes and knives. Five gangbangers are on trial for the murder of the 15-year-old in the tragic case of mistaken identity. The murder of Lesandro, who went by the nickname Junior, was well documented on videotape from security cameras and the cellphones of witnesses, providing prosecutors with hard proof to support their case. Hes been charged with these crimes. Instead of turning to police, he turned to the Trinitarios, who like him, shared a Dominican heritage. The New York Post ran a front-page headline in bold caps, MACHETE MONSTERS GUILTY.. Stuck Drafting A Tough Brief? Reyes fled to the Dominican Republic on June 21 to see his mother after learning he was present in a murder but returned the following day and handed himself in to police before entering a plea deal in August. Forsyth County prosecutors rested their case Tuesday morning. But the owner appears to direct him away. Junior suffered multiple wounds to his face, back, chest, legs and hands. He was a skinny kid, just 120 pounds, 56 inches tall. THE BRONX As they rested their case in the "Junior" murder trial Friday, prosecutors turned to the medical examiner who performed the teen's autopsy, offering graphic detail of the wound that. His English was poor. The store has not opened since last Wednesday when the incident took place. At around 11:30, Junior leaves, and two minutes later security cameras catch him on this corner passing near his home. Following that, no amount of logic, analysis, or pleas for reason could convince jurors to set aside their emotions. But he acted with intent to harm. Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Reyes described how their subsets of the Trinitarios terrorized rivals, including a Trinitarios splinter group called Sunset. A warning: These next scenes are hard to watch, and weve obscured some graphic parts. "Today's verdicts will not bring Junior back. ), It was shared millions of times on social media and in the general press. The medical examiner testified she was a lumper a doctor who looks to combine injuries and conclude that they all might have contributed to death. 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. 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. "See what happens with those killers," said Leandra Feliz. The dad struggled to make a living and Manuel struggled in school. He believed hed found a place to belong. 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. If they did not participate, the lawyers said, they would have been disciplined. Continuing coverage on the trial can be read here. They pursued him in cars, mistaking the aspiring NYPD detective for a gangbanger because he supposedly resembled a known one. If convicted, they face life in prison. We dont know. (No one claims responsibility.) Junior then comes back to the store bloodied. Brown said Janari became the 38th juvenile murdered in gun violence in Chicago in the first seven months of 2020. Last Friday, five men were convicted of murder in the first degree for the killing of Lesandro Junior Guzman Feliz in June 2018. 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. READ: #JusticeForJunior: 19-Year-Old Charged in the Murder of Bronx Teenager. The New York Post ran a front-page headline in bold caps,. An 13th suspect has been confirmed arrested in Junior . Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was brutally attacked and slashed to death in June 2018 in a case of mistaken identity. Martin Goldberg, defense attorney for Jose Muniz who once cried in court during his arraignment said his client was made the poster boy for Juniors horrific death, because Muniz was seen carrying a machete. As opposed to Trump, who says presidents are free to incite at will. 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. According to prosecutors, Jos Muniz first hacks Junior with a machete. It led to a clearer morality tale. 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. What is the derivation of this distorted quest for manhood and meaning? Prosecutors rested their case today in the Junior murder trial, but not without a graphic and powerful finish. 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Junior stumbles back into the bodega, leaving a trail of blood on the floor. Antonio Santiago is seen here from this other angle. Sabathia. The medical examiner testified the wounds on his back and legs were consistent with being dragged. Is that why Junior was targeted? Members of the NYPD Junior league attend Lesandro Guzman-Feliz's funeral cerenomy at Our . 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. 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. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. New surveillance footage shows the moments before and after Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was brutally jumped and stabbed to death. 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. What Do Millennials Think Of Law Firm Life? Manuel Rivera came from the Dominican Republic (legally) at age 15 with his dad and two sisters. Two of the clips. Witnesses say these two police officers stood by watching the scene. 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. But at the end, it has a happy ending," said Manny Ortiz. After Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Fernandez pulled the boy outside, the others attacked. Fourteen men have been criminally charged in connection with Guzman-Felizs slaying. ", "It was a terrible year, it felt like 10 years. Surveillance video shows Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz being dragged from the Cruz and Chiky grocery store in the Bronx on June 20, 2018. Eight others are awaiting trial. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The referrals are a nice bonus too, Get to figuring your way around AI sooner rather than later, Enjoy. The indicted are due back in court Oct. 25. 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. People visit murder site to mourn the death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz in Bronx in New York, United States on June 27, 2018. . 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Why do so many buy into a life that restricts their freedom, imposes beatings for disobeying gang rules, and calls for violence to others? Heres a list of where to volunteer in NYC: Lex Lumpkin talks about new show The Watchful Eye, Debunking food safety myths with a chefs help, Fun, easy Holi-inspired crafts to try with kids, Spot warning signs of teens declining mental health, Simple spring break cocktails to make at home, Patrick Kane to make Rangers debut against Senators, Rangers KAndre Miller suspended 3 games for spitting, Kane incoming? 2023 Breaking Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Our investigation retraces Juniors last steps and uncovers new details that may answer why he was targeted. On the night of Juniors murder, Trinitarios were driving around looking for Sunset members when they spotted the 15-year-old walking. The attention this case brings to the heinous nature of gangs is important. News and analysis from this company could be a game-changer for legal professionals working globally. Its alleged that defendant Jonaiki Martinez Estrella plunged the knife into Juniors neck near the end of the 20-second attack. Its horrific, defense attorney Kyle Watters said of his client, Estrella. 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 murder of Lesandro rattled the city, prompting outrage on social media and calls for justice from elected officials and celebrities, including the rapper Cardi B and the Yankees pitcher C.C. His understanding, as was everyones, was that the group was ordered to physically harm (not kill) any Sunset they found. Just 20 minutes later, Junior is pronounced dead as a result of a stab wound to the neck. He was picked on and one time, beaten up so badly his ribs were broken. Crime, Criminal Defense Attorneys, Gangs, Lesandro Junior Guzman Feliz, Manuel Rivera, Murder, Toni Messina. Our investigation retraces his last steps and reveals how a recent wave of violence took his life just two blocks from home. (L-R) Leandra Feliz and Lesandro Guzman, the mother and father of Lesandro (Junior) Guzman-Feliz, leave Bronx Supreme Court after the arraignments of 12 alleged Trinitarios gang members in July 2018. It made the tragedy of his killing that much worse and convictions that much more guaranteed. But these verdicts will send a messageto those who would commitacts of senseless violenc, and help us move forward and bring closure to this awful chapter in our borough's history.". Five other people have been arrested and accused of involvement in the crime. He was walking toward Adams Place, a small street about five minutes away thats known for gang activity. Mr. Alvarez, Mr. Reyes and a third man went into the store and asked the owner and workers to let them take Lesandro. As Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said in a press conference following the verdict, Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence. But Morgan Dolan, the lead prosecutor, countered that weapons like knives and machetes kill and the gang members went in knowing that.. 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. Junior then walks out of the bodega. Heres how Lexis Search Advantage | Transactional unites internal and external research to create better deals faster. Nils Gerber and Stephen Ball, Stacks' attorneys, presented evidence and rested their case after about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Mr. Muniz rushed over wielding a machete while Mr. Garcia, Mr. Rivera and Mr. Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago stabbed at him with large knives, security camera video and other evidence showed. The federal judiciary is getting more diverse. Then hes dragged from the bodega and brutally stabbed by a swarm of attackers. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Community member Elizabeth De Jesus likened the photo to a horror movie. 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. Mr. Reyes said the conflict started when two Sunset members joined the Bad Boys, angering a Sunset member who had gone to prison for a crime the two members had committed. In the beginning of the video, the teen is seen trying to hide behind the counter. Police have identified them as: Danel Fernandez, Kevin Alvarez, and Michael Sosa Reyes, who has not been charged in relation to Juniors killing. 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. The worker again refuses to help. Friends and family told us that Junior wasnt in a gang and the police have no such indication, either. Fellow defendant Jose Muniz was heard saying "Trinitarios to the day I die" as he left the courtroom following the guilty verdicts.
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