Disputing theories offered via social media and by investigators, officials said Bronx teen Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz was killed because he was mistaken for a rival gang member, not due to his resemblance to someone in a sex tape.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea also revealed Wednesday that the department accessed the gang database to identify the 12 men who remain jailed in connection with the 15-year-old’s murder. Police initially denied using the database in their investigation, according to the New York Post.
During the press conference, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said all 12 suspects are members of the “Los Sures” faction of the Trinitarios and have been at odds with the “Sunset” faction. Clark said the 12 men drove into Sunset’s territory, spotted Guzman-Feliz, and chased him into a bodega where he sought refuge.
“There was a lot of social media, and it took a lot of time to sort out a number of those things, but as far as we know at this time, there was no relation to any sex tape to this particular case,” the prosecutor said, according to the Post.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, surveillance cameras captured a group of men attacking the 15-year-old with machetes outside Cruz and Chiky store. Early on, police said the June 20 slaying is a case of mistaken identity—something they reiterated during their latest press conference.
Meanwhile, following men are facing murder charges following the teen’s slaying:
- Luis A. Cabrarasantos, 25;
- Danilo Payamps Pacheco, 21;
- Danel Fernandez, 21;
- Jose Muniz, 21;
- Manuel Rivera, 18;
- Santiago Rodriguez, 24;
- Kevin Alvarez, 19;
- Elvin Garcia, 23;
- Joniki Martinez, 24;
- Jose Taverez, 21;
- Diego Suero, 29; and
- Gabriel Ramirez Concepcion, 26
Additional reading:
Violent murder caught on video: Teen fatally stabbed in brutal machete attack
[Featured Image: Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz/Facebook]
