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Two gang leaders convicted in murder of ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz
A group of five other gang members – who have already been convicted – came across Guzman-Feliz, mistaking him for their target.
nypost.com
Two gang leaders convicted in murder of ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz
By
Priscilla DeGregory
July 29, 2022 7:49pm
Updated
The moment a teen is pulled out of a store and fatally stabbed
Two reputed leaders of the Trinitarios gang have been convicted for their roles in the brutal stabbing death of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz outside a Bronx bodega, officials announced Friday.
Diego Suero, 33, and Frederick Then, 24, were convicted Friday of second-degree murder in the gruesome caught-on-camera attack of the 15-year-old on June 20, 2018.
They face up to 25 years to life behind bars. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 16.
Suero was identified as the leader of “Los Sures” subset of the Trinitarios gang. His second-in-command was Then. The duo called their members to Suero’s home and ordered the murder of a rival Trinitarios gang called “Sunset,” according to the Bronx District Attorney’s office.
A group of five other gang members – who have already been convicted – came across Guzman-Feliz, mistaking him for their target. The teen had no gang affiliation.
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The men chased the teen into the deli before dragging him outside where they hacked him repeatedly with knives and machetes. A video of the brutal stabbing went viral.
Frederick Then (left) and Diego Suero (right) appear in front of Judge Robert Neary.Anthony DelMundo for DailyMail.com A memorial was painted for Guzman-Feliz outside of the bodega. Richard Harbus
Guzman-Feliz succumbed to his injuries and was unable to make it one block over to the hospital.
Then supervised the attack from a distance reporting back to Suero that they carried out the hit, prosecutors have said.
“These men, leaders of a Trinitarios set, commanded their members to go out and commit violence,” DA Darcel Clark said in a statement. “The order ended the life of a promising 15-year-old boy, Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz.”
Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz was murdered outside of a Bronx deli in 2019.Richard Harbus
“A Bronx jury found the two leaders guilty for their role in the murder, closing another chapter of this tragedy,” Clark said.
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Then’s lawyer, Larry Sheehan, said he couldn’t comment because of a gag order the judge put in place in the case.
Suero’s lawyer didn’t immediately return a request for comment.