Douglas County District Court Judge Horacio Wheelock found undocumented immigrant Orling Carrasco-Zelaya guilty of motor vehicle homicide for killing his friend Margarito Nava-Luna while drunk.
The government was already in the process of trying to deport Zelaya because of previous drunk driving offenses.
After 5 days of evidence and testimony Carrasco-Zelaya doesn't show any emotion knowing he's responsible for killing his friend.
Nava-Luna's family says it’s been an emotionally draining week.
"To be honest I really don't know how to say it. It was a loss for both sides because this is not going to bring what we need, but hopefully he deserves what he gets,” said Nava-Luna’s stepson, Manuel Medina.
On April 16 the men were on surveillance drinking at Bogie's Bar & Grill near 108th & W. Maple Rd. Video shows them leave together. Then Nava-Luna is found dead minutes later at 104th & Manderson Plaza. His blood and tissue were found underneath Zelaya's GMC Acadia.
“All the evidence that the court heard proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Margarito Nava-Luna was backed into and run over by the GMC Acadia that was driven by Orling Carrasco-Zelaya,” Judge Wheelock explained.
In closings arguments, prosecutors pointed at the moment police told Zelaya his friend was dead.
"He dropped his head and let out a big sigh, didn't ask why, where, when, what happened to my friend Margarito because he knew already that he had killed him,” Douglas Co. Deputy Prosecutor Ryan Lindberg described.
Carrasco-Zelaya will be held without bond until his sentencing which is scheduled for May. He faces 1-54 years in prison.
This is the first felony verdict filmed on camera in Douglas County District Court.
Proud to be part of the first felony verdict handed down on camera in Douglas County. @NESupremeCt @action3news pic.twitter.com/D8XilGT8fX
— Jake Wasikowski (@jakewasikowski) March 3, 2017
