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By
Andrew Michaels
- November 21, 2024
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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A 22-year-old Baltimore man who was identified by his mother as the shooter in the murder of Edgar Bonilla-Guerra was sentenced to life plus five years for the 2023 homicide.
Kerin Aviles Alvarez was convicted of the 21-year-old’s death in June following a three-day trial before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer. He was represented by defense attorney James Sweeting III.
On Nov. 21, Alvarez and his counsel returned to Judge Schiffer’s courtroom where she imposed a sentence of life for first-degree murder, a consecutive five years without parole for firearm use in a felony or violent crime and a concurrent five years for possessing a firearm as a minor. His charge of having a handgun on his person was merged with firearm use in a felony or violent crime.
“It is impossible for me to imagine a more senseless act of violence than the one that was presented in this case,” Judge Schiffer said.
Earlier in the proceeding, the prosecutor provided a brief overview of the case, explaining that Baltimore Police were called to the 6300 block of Eastern Avenue on April 3, 2023, when they found the victim shot near a 7-Eleven. He died from his injuries.
In addition to a ghost gun that was found in an alleyway trashcan, video and DNA evidence linked the defendant to the crime. Alvarez’s mother identified her son from his hand tattoo in a photo from the 7-Eleven surveillance footage.
The prosecutor recommended a sentence of life plus 10 years for his crimes during Thursday’s proceeding.
“Even though [my son] is no longer alive, he is still alive in my heart,” the victim’s mother wrote in an impact statement read by the prosecutor. “…I can still remember him screaming and agonizing after he had been shot. No mother should experience that pain.”
“I want to apologize,” Alvarez said moments later. “I’m sorry about your son.”
Sweeting noted that his client was a minor at the time of the shooting and “not fully matured.” The defense attorney also reminded the court that the sentencing guidelines for the aforementioned charges are not mandatory.