13th suspect in Junior's slaying appears in court

<p>The 13th suspect arrested in connection with the slaying of 15-year-old Lesandro &quot;Junior&quot; Guzman-Feliz appeared in Bronx court Monday.</p>

News 12 Staff

Aug 27, 2018, 9:41 PM

Updated 2,256 days ago

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The 13th suspect arrested in connection with the slaying of 15-year-old Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz appeared in Bronx court Monday.
Police took Ronald Urena, 29, into custody on Sunday. With a translator and lawyer by his side, he pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, manslaughter, gang assault, criminal possession of a weapon and conspiracy.
Urena is accused of acting in concert with at least 12 other men to kill Junior outside a bodega in the Belmont section of the Bronx.
His arrest was the first since early July, when police stated they were no longer actively looking for additional suspects. But in court Monday, prosecutors said that part of Urena's indictment was redacted to hide the name of a 14th suspect who's yet to be arrested.
Urena was walked out of the 48th Precinct late Sunday night. He is the only other suspect to be charged with conspiracy, aside from 29-year-old Diego Suero, who is accused of organizing the attack that left Junior dead.
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Prosecutors said the defendants, suspected members of "Los Sures" sect of the Trinitarios gang, gathered in June at the home of their suspected leader, Suero, to plot an attack on a rival sect of the Trinitarios called the "Sunset Clan."
Police say cars full of suspected gang members came upon Junior the night of June 20, chasing down the teen in what has been called a case of mistaken identity. NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said at a news conference Monday that Urena was among those in the vehicles who pursued Junior. A family member of Urena's told a reporter Monday that the suspect was "not part of the group." Urena's lawyer had no comment.
Junior, a member of the NYPD Explorers program, was hacked to death with machetes and knives outside of a bodega that has since reopened under new ownership.
Urena is scheduled to be back in court on Oct. 25. He was remanded to the court's custody.