Aurora man found guilty of murder in 2022 shooting

An Aurora man has been found guilty of killing one man and severely injuring another in a 2022 shooting.

On Friday, a Kane County jury convicted Samuel Garcia, 26, of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

He was accused of shooting Ferrer Velasquez, 29, twice in the head on Sept. 24, 2022. The shooting happened in the 300 block of Center Avenue in Aurora.

The other victim testified that he was on the porch of his home when he noticed a neighbor’s child riding a bicycle. Some men in a car asked the boy what gang he belonged to. The man testified that the boy — Velasquez’ brother — did not belong to one, and that he and Velasquez walked over to intervene.

Authorities say Garcia got out of a passenger seat, carrying a handgun, and confronted the men, yelling gang slogans. He then shot at them.

Velasquez tried to run away but stumbled and fell to the ground. Garcia stood over him and shot him twice in the head.

The other man was shot in the face and an arm. The bullet entered his left cheek and went through his throat, paralyzing one of his vocal cords and requiring implantation of a device to help him talk. The arm injury required a bone graft, metal plates and screws to repair.

Garcia faces a sentence of 20 to 60 years in prison on the first-degree murder charge, with 25 years mandatorily added on because he used the gun.

On the attempted murder charge, he faces a sentence of six to 30 years. years, plus a mandatory 25-year add-on.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 7.

Another man, Alonzo Sanchez of Montgomery, is also charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Authorities say they connected the vehicle to him. He has not yet had a trial.