A jury on Thursday found a California man guilty of murder in the shooting death of a 6-year-old boy who was riding in the back seat of his mother's car on a busy highway.
An Orange County jury has convicted 26-year-old Marcus Ellis of second-degree murder in the death of Aiden Leos, who was strapped into the passenger seat on his way to kindergarten.
They also found him guilty of firing at an occupied vehicle.
According to authorities, Elise and his girlfriend Win Lee were on their way to work on May 21, 2021, when Lee cut into a car driven by Aiden's mother, and Aiden made a rude gesture. He said he complied.
Authorities said Elise pulled out a gun, reached through the window and fired at her mother's car, sending the bullet through the trunk and into Aiden's heart.
The shooting shocked the county of 3 million people, which relies heavily on the highway system for commuting to work and school, and drew international attention as authorities searched for the gunman for more than two weeks. Collected.
“If you shoot someone in this county or use force to harm an individual, you're going to pay a price,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told reporters after the verdict was read. he said.
“Mr. Ellis is looking at 40 years to live. His life is over, and it's because he took the life of this precious, innocent little boy,” Spitzer said in a photo of Aiden smiling. He said while pointing to a large photo.
After the verdict was read, Ellis looked straight at the jurors as they were voting. He is being held without bail and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12. Mr. Elise's attorney, Randall Bethune, declined to comment Thursday.
Just two weeks after the shooting, authorities arrested Elise and Lee outside an apartment complex in the Orange County city of Costa Mesa after following a lead to a white car they were driving.
Dan Feldman, a senior deputy district attorney, told jurors during the trial that Elise told police he knew he was in danger and pulled out the gun and fired.
Ellis' attorney said his client had no intention of killing anyone in what began as a road rage incident until days later, when a co-worker commented that Lee's car resembled the car authorities were looking for. He claimed that he did not know that.
Lee has since pleaded not guilty to being an accessory after the fact, and a separate trial is being held.
Jurors began deliberating late Wednesday. Feldman said the two men met for a little more than an hour Thursday and announced they had reached a verdict.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard M. King thanked the jurors and said they would receive free counseling if needed.
“This is a very difficult case,” he said, dismissing them.
