On Thursday, a New York Court threw out the first degree murder conviction of the Trinitarios gang member responsible for the fatal blow to 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz back in 2018.
Junior’s heinous murder was all caught on video and shocked the world due to the sheer brutality and terror the 15-year-old went through, and now, his family has to relive those moments.
The New York state appeals court vacated Jonaiki Martinez Estrella conviction, despite video showing that he served the fatal machete blow to Junior’s neck. He will now be re-sentenced on the lesser second-degree murder conviction,
“The evidence established that the defendant committed an extremely heinous second-degree murder. However, we vacate the conviction of first-degree murder under Penal Law 125.27 because the evidence did not establish the very specific elements of that crime.”
RELATED: 5 More Gang Members Plead Guilty To Killing Of Bronx Teen Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz
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Estrella joined other Trinitarios gang members as they hacked the 15-year-old and chased him into a bodega on June 20, 2018. Officials believe that it was a case of mistaken identity.
Estrella who was sentenced to life in prison without parole in October 2019, could now be released after 25 years.
“Video footage captured the assault and clearly depicted the moment when defendant, holding Junior by his sweatshirt, thrust his large knife directly into Junior’s throat,” the judges wrote. “It is undisputed that the resulting wound, which was 4½ inches deep and severed the jugular vein, was the sole cause of death.”
When the prosecution tried to prove that the gang member boasted about the murder and that the fatal blow was at the hands of Estrella, the five-judge appellate panel stated “…that blow was a single act rather than a course of conduct. Thus, we find that defendant and his accomplices did not engage in a ‘course of conduct’ involving the intentional infliction of extreme physical pain.”
Junior’s mother Leandra Feliz was visibly distraught over the new developments,
“I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t breathe. This is a nightmare for me. He was over. He killed my son. He killed an innocent kid,” she said, adding that she just wants justice and for the people who murdered her son to remain locked up.
“They are gang members. They are criminals. So how come the criminals have more defense than the victims? I lost a child,” Feliz added.
“The defendant still stands convicted of second-degree intentional murder, for which he was sentenced to 25 years to life, as well as conspiracy and gang assault … We are carefully reviewing the Appellate Division’s decision and considering all of our options,” A rep for the Bronx District Attorney’s Office said to PIX11 News.
2 years ago Lesandro #Junior Guzman was tragically killed outside of a bodega in the Bronx. Since then the five gang members involved in his murder have received life sentences. Junior would have graduated charter school this week. RIP King 🕊#JusticeforJunior pic.twitter.com/sIDOrGfEut
— MEFeater Magazine (@mefeater) June 20, 2020