An Aurora man, 27, who in October was found guilty of first-degree murder in a fatal 2022 shooting, has been sentenced to 90 years in prison, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office said on Thursday.
Samuel Garcia, 27, and his co-defendant, Alonzo Sanchez, 27, of Montgomery, were charged in 2023 in connection with a 2022 shooting in Aurora that left one dead and another hospitalized. The charges at the time included first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm.
According to statements presented in court by Assistant State’s Attorneys Lori Anderson and Amanda Busljeta, Garcia, on the afternoon of Sept. 24, 2022, exited a white sedan on the 300 block of Center Avenue on Aurora’s East Side, a news release from the Kane County State’s Attorney Office said.
Brandishing a silver revolver, Garcia reportedly confronted two men who had earlier come to the aid of a juvenile Garcia was allegedly harassing, according to the news release. Garcia yelled gang slogans and fired the revolver, shooting one of the men in his face and left arm, the release said.
The second man being confronted, Ferrer Velasquez, tried to flee but stumbled and fell, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. Garcia stood over Velasquez, shot him twice in the head, returned to the sedan and fled east, the release said.
Velasquez was pronounced dead at the scene, according to reports, and the other individual was taken to a local hospital and ultimately recovered from his injuries.
The Aurora Police Department ultimately tracked down the vehicle, connecting it to Garcia and identifying the driver as Sanchez, according to the news release. The two men were then charged.
On Oct. 31, a jury found Garcia guilty of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
Now, Garcia has been sentenced to 90 years in state prison, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. He was sentenced to 55 years for first-degree murder, of which 100% of the sentence must be served, and 35 years for attempted murder, of which at least 85% must be served, the release said.
At trial, prosecutors proved that he had personally discharged the murder weapon, which resulted in a mandatory add-on of 25 years to life for each count, according to the release. He receives credit for 1,198 days served in the Kane County jail.
Sanchez, on the other hand, was sentenced in November to 25 years in prison, in exchange for pleading guilty to first-degree murder, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.