Damien Garza | Homicide Watch Chicagohttp://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/damien-garza/Latest news about Damien Garzaen-usMon, 11 May 2015 15:48:20 -0500Javier Garza sentenced to 51 years for killing 14-year-old Michael Orozco in Back of the Yardshttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/05/11/javier-garza-sentenced-to-51-years-for-killing-14-year-old-michael-orozco-in-back-of-the-yards/<p><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/05/Garza-500x324.jpg" alt="Javier Garza (L) and Damien Garza (R) / Photo from Chicago Police" width="100%" height="auto" class="size-large wp-image-11173" /><br /> Javier Garza (L) and Damien Garza (R) / Photo from Chicago Police</p> <p>BY LEEANN SHELTON<br /> Sun-Times Media</p> <p>One of two men convicted of murder for shooting a 14-year-old boy on his way to get ice cream has been sentenced to 51 years in prison.</p> <p><a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/michael-orozco/">Michael Orozco</a> and his friends were on their way to an ice cream shop when he was shot in the chest in the 2200 block of South Leavitt Street about 4:30 p.m. April 7, 2013. He died less than an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said.</p> <p>Prosecutors claimed Javier Garza, then 19, shot Michael in an apparent attempt to avenge the murder of his father.<br /> <span id="more-11172"></span><br /> <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/javier-garza/">Javier Garza</a> and <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/damien-garza/">Damien Garza</a>, 23, were arrested after police broadcast a description of the shooter's vehicle, police said. The Garzas are not related.</p> <p><iframe src="http://homicides.suntimes.com/api/v1/homicides/72.html" width="100%" height="350" frameborder=0></iframe></p> <p>In March, Javier Garza was <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/03/12/damien-garza-javier-garza-convicted-in-back-of-the-yards-murder-of-michael-orozco/">convicted of various counts of murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm</a>, according to court records.</p> <p>On Thursday, Judge James B. Linn sentenced Javier Garza to 51 years in prison, according to court records. He has filed an appeal, which is scheduled for a status hearing May 14.</p> <p>Damien Garza was convicted on similar charges, and is still awaiting sentencing, according to court records.</p> Michael LansuMon, 11 May 2015 15:48:20 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/05/11/javier-garza-sentenced-to-51-years-for-killing-14-year-old-michael-orozco-in-back-of-the-yards/Michael OrozcoDamien GarzaJavier GarzaDamien Garza, Javier Garza convicted in Back of the Yards murder of Michael Orozcohttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/03/12/damien-garza-javier-garza-convicted-in-back-of-the-yards-murder-of-michael-orozco/<p><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/03/Garzas.jpg" alt="Javier Garza (L) and Damien Garza (R) / Photos from Chicago Police" width="100%" height="auto" class="size-full wp-image-10336" /><br /> Javier Garza (L) and Damien Garza (R) / Photos from Chicago Police</p> <p>BY LEEANN SHELTON<br /> Sun-Times Media</p> <p>Two men were convicted of murder Wednesday for a 2013 shooting that killed a 14-year-old boy on the Southwest Side.</p> <p><a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/michael-orozco/">Michael Orozco</a> was on his way to an ice cream shop with friends about 4:30 p.m. April 7 when he was fatally shot in the chest in the 2200 block of South Leavitt Street, authorities said.</p> <p>Prosecutors said Javier Garza, 19, shot Michael in an apparent attempt to avenge his father’s murder.<br /> <span id="more-10335"></span><br /> <iframe src="http://homicides.suntimes.com/api/v1/homicides/72.html" width="100%" height="350" frameborder=0></iframe></p> <p>Both he and another suspect, 21-year-old Damien Garza, were arrested after police on the scene radioed a description of the gunman’s vehicle and other officers located it nearby, police said.</p> <p>The Garzas are not related, Javier Garza’s mother said after a 2013 court hearing in the case.</p> <p>A third male was initially taken into custody and later released.<img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2015/03/MichaelOrozco-225x300.jpg" alt="Michael Orozco / Family photo" width="225" height="300" class="size-medium wp-image-10337" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Michael Orozco / Family photo</p></p> <p>Authorities said both suspects and Michael were in gangs -- a claim their families denied.</p> <p>Both men were convicted Wednesday of various counts of murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm following trials that began Monday before Judge James Linn, according to court records.</p> <p><a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/damien-garza/">Damien Garza</a>, of the 4500 block of Wood Street, will next appear in court May 5. <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/suspects/javier-garza/">Javier Garza</a>, of the 2900 block of North 75th Court in Elmwood Park, will be back in court May 7.</p> Michael LansuThu, 12 Mar 2015 20:55:17 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2015/03/12/damien-garza-javier-garza-convicted-in-back-of-the-yards-murder-of-michael-orozco/Michael OrozcoDamien GarzaJavier GarzaTwo Teens charged in fatal shooting of 14-year-oldhttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2013/04/09/288/<strong><a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2013/04/Damien-Garza.jpg" ><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-290" alt="Damien Garza" src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2013/04/Damien-Garza.jpg" width="68" height="85" /></a> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2013/04/Javier-Garza.jpg" ><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-291" alt="Javier Garza" src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2013/04/Javier-Garza.jpg" width="68" height="85" /></a></strong> <strong>Sun-Times Media Wire: April 9, 2013 12:38PM</strong> <span style="color: #444444; font-size: 14px;">Two teens have been charged with this past weekend’s fatal shooting of a 14-year-old boy in what police believe was a gang-related incident.</span> <p>The shooting happened about 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the 2200 block of South Leavitt Street, police News Affairs Officer Joshua Purkiss said.</p> <p>Michael Orozco was shot in the chest and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died at 4:56 p.m., authorities said.</p> <p>Police on the scene radioed a description of the gunman’s vehicle and nearby officers found a vehicle matching the description, taking three males into custody, police said. A weapon was recovered.</p> <p>Javier Garza, 17, of the 2900 block of North 75th Court in Elmwood Park, was charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, according to police.</p> <p>Damien Garza, 19, of the 4500 block of South Wood Street, was charged with one count each of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated reckless driving without a license, and cited for operating a motor vehicle without insurance.</p> <p>Police did not immediately know Tuesday if or how the two were related, but said the suspects and the victim were documented gang members.</p> <p>Both Garzas are scheduled to appear for bond hearings on Tuesday. A third suspect was released without being charged, police said.</p> John CarpenterTue, 09 Apr 2013 12:48:49 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2013/04/09/288/Michael OrozcoDamien GarzaJavier Garza