On an evening in late May, 2021, 46-year-old Samuel Ortiz-Rodriguez of Aurora was standing outside a residence talking with a few individuals. At that moment, three street-gang members from a nearby neighborhood walked by and mistakenly identified him as a member of a rival gang. One of the gang members shot him dead.
Fidel Bello, 19, one of those street gang members, has now been sentenced to 35 years in prison.
In March, Bello pled guilty to the offense of first-degree murder.
On May 24, 2021 at 7:30 p.m., Bello and two fellow members of the same street gang went in search of rival gang members. Bello was armed with a revolver. While walking through a part of Aurora that was considered to be territory of a rival gang, they spotted individuals outside of a residence. After Bello’s co-defendant Cesar Ponce pointed out those individuals, one of them being Ortiz-Rodriguez, Bello shot and killed Ortiz-Rodriguez. Ortiz-Rodriguez was not a street gang member.
“Younger gang members are as dangerous and violent as the older members,” said Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Lori Anderson. “Samuel Ortiz-Rodriguez’s murder was yet another example of the senseless and unnecessary violence that street gangs perpetrate on the community. I hope the long prison sentences imposed on Fidel Bello and co-defendant Cesar Ponce send a message that there is nothing worthwhile to be gained by joining a street gang and terrorizing a community.”
A jury convicted Ponce of the offense of first-degree murder on March 2, 2023. In May, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison. The third individual was not charged.
5 Comments
I sincerely pray these misguided and confused young men and women will open their eyes and realize that street gangs and illegal drug activity is definetly a waste of time. Please learn from the errors of those who have gone down this path but find thems3lves in prison or dead. Stop the violence and learn how to get along and respect others.
These guys don’t understand how precious life is you only get one, you don’t know how many people are incarcerated that made one mistake and it cost them their life because they took a life and now they have to live with that. I know if those people had a do over in life how they would do everything over and be good productive citizens in this world life is beautiful enjoy every single moment tell your love one’s that you love them because you never know when your time comes. Mr osvaldo Diaz
Your right and it’s sad that a person can’t even be in front of their own home…it’s gotten really bad in Chicago it’s ridiculous every morning I read or listen to the news of how many ppl died for senseless acts.. streets will get u no where..
These guys don’t understand how precious life is you only get one, you don’t know how many people are incarcerated that made one mistake and it cost them their life because they took a life and now they have to live with that. I know if those people had a do over in life how they would do everything over and be good productive citizens in this world life is beautiful enjoy every single moment tell your love one’s that you love them because you never know when your time comes. Mr osvaldo Diaz
Pingback: Aurora Aug 15 Weekly Crime Report | Brightgram