Man Gets 51 Years For 2013 Murder Of 14-Year-Old Boy
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A man has been sentenced to 51 years in prison for a shooting that killed a 14-year-old boy who was on his way to get ice cream on the Southwest Side two years ago.
Michael Orozco was on his way to an ice cream shop with friends about 4:30 p.m. on April 7, 2013, when he was shot in the chest in the 2200 block of South Leavitt, Chicago Police said at the time. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he died less than an hour later.
Prosecutors claimed Javier Garza, 19, shot the teen in an apparent attempt to avenge his father's murder, the Sun-Times reported previously.
Both Garza and another suspect, 21-year-old Damien Garza, were arrested after police on the scene radioed a description of the gunman's vehicle and other officers located it nearby, police said at the time.
Javier Garza was convicted in March of various counts of murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm, according to court records.
Judge James B. Linn sentenced him to a total of 51 years in prison last Thursday, according to court records. Javier Garza has filed an appeal, which is scheduled for a status hearing May 14.
Damien Garza was convicted on similar charges, and is awaiting sentencing, court records show.
A third male was also taken into custody and later released. Police said both suspects and the victim were in gangs — a claim their families denied, the Sun-Times reported previously.
The Garzas are not related, Javier Garza's mother told the newspaper after a 2013 court hearing.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
