Jury convicts men of murdering Pasadena teen

This comes from reporter Nathan McIntire:

PASADENA — A jury Friday convicted two Altadena gang members of murder for their role in the 2007 slaying of 17-year-old John Muir High School student Dion Holloway.
Kamaron Walker, 29, of Duarte was found guilty of first-degree murder and Eric Williams, 32, of Altadena was convicted of second-degree murder stemming from the shooting death of Holloway, a popular high school football player.
Relieved members of Holloway’s family sobbed quietly as the jury foreman read the verdict. Vanessa Shepherd, Holloway’s mother, said outside the courtroom that she was sure Walker and Williams were guilty.
“I’m very happy,” Shepherd said. “They are the ones that did it — we know.”
Holloway’s step-mother, Linda Maden, was also relieved, weeping outside the courtroom.
“(Dion) didn’t deserve this,” Maden said. “He’s gone, and I’m so happy they got the people who did this.”
The jury found that the murder was carried out for the benefit of a criminal street gang, the Altadena Block Crips. Prosecutors had said Holloway was not involved in gangs.
The prosecution’s key witness had identified Walker and Williams as the killers during testimony, but recanted right before leaving the witness stand.
Juan Villatoro, 24, of Altadena initially said that he was riding in a Ford Explorer Williams was driving, along with Walker, on Sept. 25, 2007, when Walker exited the vehicle on the 1700 block of Belmont Avenue.
Villatoro said Walker retrieved a gun from under the hood of the car, approached a group of men and shot Holloway to death.
Deputy District Attorney Shelley Dominguez said her office presented enough evidence to corroborate Villatoro’s initial testimony, even though he recanted.
“I still got the conviction,” Dominguez said. “I think the jury looked at all the evidence and they came to the right conclusion.
Felipe De La Torres, Walker’s attorney, declined to comment for this story.
Walker faces 50 years to life in prison and Williams faces 40 years to life when they are sentenced Tuesday.

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