Man pleads guilty to Aurora murder

A man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of an Aurora man.

Alonzo Sanchez, 27, of Montgomery, agreed Friday to a sentence of 25 years in prison, according to a news release from the Kane County state’s attorney’s office.

Sanchez drove a car Sept. 24, 2022, to the 300 block of Center Avenue in Aurora. A passenger in the car, Samuel Garcia, got out and confronted two men.

According to two witnesses, Ferrer Velasquez and another man had come to the defense of Velasquez’s adolescent brother, who was being harassed by Garcia and other people in the car.

Garcia yelled gang slogans and shot the man who was with Velasquez in the face and left arm, authorities said.

Velasquez tried to flee but stumbled and fell to the ground. Garcia then shot him twice in the head.

Garcia got back in the car, and Sanchez drove off.

Velasquez was pronounced dead at the scene.

A jury convicted Garcia of first-degree murder Oct. 31. He is due to be sentenced Jan. 7.

Sanchez will have to serve the full sentence.