Second man charged in 11-year-old homicide of Aurora boy
A 31-year-old former Montgomery man was indicted Friday on two counts of first-degree murder in the 1996 death of an Aurora boy, it was announced today.
Mark A. Downs, 31, is the second man charged in the Nov. 10, 1996 murder of 6-year-old Nico Contreras, who was killed while sleeping.
A Kane County judge set Downs' bail at $1 million. His first court appearance is to be determined. He has been at Big Muddy River Correctional Center in downstate Illinois since June 2006 on unrelated charges.
According to Aurora police, Contreras, was killed in the early morning hours -- two days after his birthday -- while spending the night at his grandmother's house on Aurora's near east side. Five other children were staying at the home that night as well.
The gunman crept up to a window of the home and fired several shots into the bedroom. Two bullets struck Contreras in the back, killing him instantly, authorities said.
The shooting was believed to be in retaliation for an earlier gang-related shooting, and Contreras was mistaken for the intended target.
On Dec. 15, 2006, Elias R. Diaz, 38, of Aurora was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Diaz is believed to have driven the car to the crime scene, according to the Kane County State's Attorney's office.
Aurora police, the FBI and the state's attorney's office continue to investigate the murder.