A judge ruled on Friday that a California man will spend 40 years to life in prison for killing a six-year-old in a fit of road rage.
Earlier in the year, Marcus Eriz, 27, was found guilty by a jury for the murder of Aiden Leos.
On May 21, 2021, Aiden found himself sitting in the back seat of his mother’s car as they made their way to kindergarten. It was just another ordinary day until Aiden’s mother, Joanna Cloonan, gestured angrily at a driver in a Volkswagen who had abruptly cut her off on State Route 55.
Eriz found himself in police custody a mere two weeks later, following an intense manhunt by the California Highway Patrol to apprehend the shooter. Alongside him, law enforcement officers also detained Wynne Lee, the individual responsible for driving the Volkswagen.
“The agony a mother experiences while desperately seeking ways to help her dying son is indescribable,” expressed Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer after the sentencing on Friday.
Eriz was found guilty by a jury in January of second-degree murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and two felony enhancements related to the personal discharge of a firearm resulting in great bodily injury and death.
Superior Court Judge Richard King ruled on Friday that the 27-year-old would be sentenced to 40 years to life in state prison.
“I am grateful that Judge King recognized that this was not a mere mistake; it was a deliberate and heartless murder committed by someone who is more concerned about his life after prison than the innocent little boy whose life he tragically ended,” expressed Mr. Spitzer.
Ms. Lee is currently awaiting trial, as she faces one felony count of accessory after the fact and one misdemeanor count of having a concealed firearm in a vehicle.
Eriz expressed his apologies in court before his sentencing, as reported by NBC News.
“He embodied the roles of a loving son, a cherished little brother, and a dear friend to many. His presence had a way of illuminating the world around him, like one of God’s precious angels,” expressed Eriz. “I deeply regret causing him any harm and the suffering he endured because of my actions.”
Eriz expressed his strong belief that the individual in question did not deserve the treatment he received, and neither did his family.
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