After deliberating for two hours, an Orange County Superior Court jury on Thursday, Jan. 25, found the admitted gunman who shot and killed a 6-year-old riding in the back seat of his mom’s car on the way to kindergarten guilty of second-degree murder.
The jury also determined he was guilty of shooting at an occupied motor vehicle.
On May 21, 2021, in rush-hour traffic, Aiden Leos and his mom were on the 55 Freeway in Orange heading north when she gave a driver the middle finger for cutting her off — prompting passenger Marcus Eriz in the offending car to fire a single shot that hit and kill the boy.
Eriz, who is now 26, and girlfriend Wynne Lee had been driving to their Highland jobs in a Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen and disappeared after the shooting — prompting a manhunt and outcry from the public that, among other efforts, led to banners — “Who Shot Aiden?” — going up on freeway overpasses, asking for help in finding the suspects.
A reward to to find them swelled to $500,000.
More than two weeks later, investigators had pieced together evidence, aided in that their car was somewhat unusual, to find and arrest the couple at their Costa Mesa apartment.
“I don’t know why, I have no answer why, but I pulled out my Glock and pulled the trigger and it was gone,” Eriz told an officer in an interrogation room. “I’ll tell you anything.”
Road rage shooter who killed young boy on 55 Freeway is ‘not a monster,’ man’s lawyer says
Eriz, who will remain in jail, is to be sentenced April 12.
Lee faces lesser charges, including being an accessory after the fact, in a future trial.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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