Three men sentenced to 35 years for killing Venezuelan youth in Madrid

A Madrid court has sentenced three men to 35 years in prison for the murder of a 19-year-old Venezuelan man, identified as Bori, who was seeking asylum in Spain. The fatal shooting occurred in 2022 outside a nightclub in Madrid.

The jury found two Colombian nationals, Jonathan Gabriel L.R. and Estarly Rafael P.S., along with Spanish citizen Jesús Leoncio A.A., guilty of the crime. The sentence includes 16 years for murder, 9 years for attempted murder against the victim's two companions, and 1 year for illegal possession of a weapon. The court determined that the three defendants acted in a "concerted" manner after a knife fight outside a nightclub in Alcorcón, a Madrid suburb frequented by youth gang members.

Following the altercation, the defendants allegedly targeted Joel Antonio, one of Bori's companions, and Jenny Alejandra G. The prosecution stated that the men pursued the group and fired shots at all three as they attempted to flee. Bori was struck in the left shoulder while trying to shield Joel, the primary target.

The judge's ruling detailed that the Venezuelan youth was wounded and defenseless when the attackers approached within 1.5 meters and shot him in the head, causing immediate death. Regarding the attempted murder charges for Joel and Jenny Alejandra, the magistrate concluded that the defendants intended to kill them, and their failure was due to "lack of aim." Consequently, they are prohibited from approaching the survivors for 19 years and must pay each €25,000 in compensation.

In addition to the prison sentences, the convicted men must pay €150,000 to Bori's mother and €50,000 to his sister. They will also face 15 years of supervised release upon completing their prison terms.