Man found guilty of killing Chicago police officer

A jury has convicted a man of the June 2009 murder of a Chicago police officer.

The jury deliberated for about three hours Wednesday before finding 22-year-old Shawn Gaston guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 27-year-old officer Alejandro “Alex” Valadez.

Valadez was gunned down as he investigated a shots fired call on the city’s South Side. Prosecutors alleged that after the shooting, Gaston went to a friend’s house to party.

In closing arguments, defense attorney John Paul Carroll claimed Gaston was the victim of a conspiracy to frame him for the shooting.

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez countered the evidence tied Gaston to Valadez’s murder. She said the case was not a mystery movie. “It is reality,” she said.

Two other men are awaiting trial in Valadez’s killing.