BY DAVE PARRO
Despite some conflicting testimony, shady witnesses, and no murder weapon or physical evidence, a Kane County jury this afternoon delivered a guilty verdict in the first of Aurora's cold-case murders.
The conviction of Jose Salinas in a 2000 gang shooting bodes well for prosecutors, who still have the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in 22 other old murder cases still on the docket. They will have the same difficult task in convicting the other 31 suspects as they did with Salinas just because of the nature of cold cases.
Each jury will obviously be different, but this verdict should give prosecutors and the Aurora Police Department confidence as they prepare for the other cases and make even more arrests.
Salinas wasn't rounded up in the massive June sweep, but he was the first suspect arrested after the formation of Aurora's Cold Case Task Force. And the evidence presented against him will be similar to the cases against the other defendants. That's why this case was such an important barometer.
This doesn't mean prosecutors will go 32-for-32. But they can take comfort in the fact that they won the first round despite a lack of hard evidence.
All I have to say not knowing these men, is the truth will prevail! You do the crime you'll do the time - EVENTUALLY. Non of them are untouchable no matter what they think. Just because they ran the streets out here doesn't mena they run things on the inside!!!
While Thr Real Murderer Walks the streets, There is someone who is innocent incarcerated and is being kept form his kids and family. On this First cold case murder!! The real killer is a coward and not human oviously beacuse like is was told before if You do the crime you should have the balls to do the time. How can you bring down or blame someone else for your actions. People think just because they call themselves "gang members" they think thay can go around killing people and never get caught. From what I have been reading on this first case The real Murderer took the stand and tricked the jury and the judge and as for the Ex girlfriend she was probably lieing about what she said on the stand. She mite have done this for revenge cause her baby daddy is happily married and jelouse that he didnt marry her!! Get over it ex girlfriend woman can be as scandalous as men can be and do the most evil things to get back at people. ( to the REAL killer) you will be brought to justice!!!! Right now noone has the courage to tell the truth when you bragged about it!!! or was it that detectives fault for not follwing up on that previous statement about that real KILLER admitting to doing that crime? HUH how good is APD!!!!
Out of jealousy or spite honestly his EX GIRLFRIEND has better things to do with her time. To be jealous of getting her butt beat or feel as though her life is a prison. She feels sorry for his wife, because from the what the reports say his wife filed a police report stating that he threw her against a wall. It stories like that that are all to familiar to his ex. According to her leaving him was the best accomplishment that she has ever made. And as for his kids he was to busy trying to make her suffer so he let his kids go without. And in the courtroom he was trying to say his poor kids this and that he needed to put food on their table. He all of a sudden had a change of heart. Instead of complaining to his mom about receiving money for his books he should have been a man and said you know what instead buy my daughter a package of diapers. So if you want to call this being jealous apparently your judgment is just as good as your grammar. She is not in anyway discouraged by what anyone has to say about her testifying against him because the truth came out and that was all she intended to do. Justice was served. He obviously had something to hid.
WELL...all I have to say is that I feel sorry for the kids that are in the middle of all of this. While they might of had a father who might of not provided for them, they are stuck in a worse situation...living with a mentally challenged mother. This whole case just proves how corrupt the justice system is, and how APD cannot do thier job, seems that they are just out there to get thier quota on writing tickets for not wearing seatbelts and jay walking, rather than finding the real killers. But hopefully things will turn around for this young man and have a better ending. And honey, your grammar is not any better :)
I think my comment was taken a little to personal by someone. It was not intended for anyone in particular I used the word "Baby Daddy" sarcastically But anyway its good that makeing the decision you made in leaving him especially when there are kids involved and I hope there are no kids involved with this person and his wife because no woman needs to be in a relationship where a man puts his hands on her. Some people learn the hard way in this world. See the truth was told back when the real murderer bragged about this crime that this man was convicted of to another person and soon That TRUTH will come out then we can say justice was served. Only GOD knows when we are telling the truth!!
Don't feel sorry for the kids! They are better off without out him in their lives! I hope they sentence him to death. Maybe that way he can finally provide for his children(in the form of social security death benfits). I believe APD did one heck of a job. But, I'll tell you what! If you where upset how this turned out. I'm sure if I had a conversation with Det. Nilles we could make sure "justice is served" on some new charges for this young man. I wonder one thing? Do you think his new husband will beat on him??? They say what goes around comes around! Makes you wonder HUH!
This is what I have to say!!! That courtroom was full of it. All the trial was about was a bunch of he said she said crap. One thing I do agree with is whoever committed the crime needs to do the time. The way I look at it is if your going to blame or convict someone on murder then have some type of evidence or a good witness. All of the witnesses had no creditabiltiy. How are you going to use another GANG BANGER OR BABY MOMMA to convict someone. As far as his BABY MOMMA she needs to grow up and learn how to support her kids.(LIKE GET A JOB!!!!!!)And whether or not he help or supported those kids, his parents sure helped her alot and she knows it but what goes around comes around she better remember that. She'll need help and she'll run to his parents like always. It's kind of sad that those kids have a mother like that and how old is she?(30). How patheic!!!! No matter what all kids need a father in their life. As far as the comment made about they hope that he gets sentenced to death, That's not right no matter how angry you are. As far as the victim, I feel bad for that family but the family knew what the victim was about. When you hang with the wrong people this type of stuff happens.
Blah Blah blah.... What's patheic is that you failed to miss one important thing someones son was murdered and Jose did it. Why you continue to rant and rave about his children's mother I don't know? Yeah what goes around comes around becasue she is being blessed everyday of her life for doing the right thing. So you can continue to nag but the truth of the matter is HE MURDERED SOMEONE. Honesty always prevails.
We are missing the whole point. The government is paying and reducing sentances for crimes that they know have been committed by federal witnesses. In return for their testimony which may or may not be true, they are literally letting criminals get away with murder. On top of that they are paying them to do it. Juan "BABY" Acevedo perjured witness in first Alberto Gonzales trial, takes "The Oath" again in Grand Jury Statement. Fool us once, shame on you (juan); Fool us twice, shame on us (Kane Co. Grand Jury)! How can perjured witnesses be viewed as credible.
It maybe BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. No one knows for a fact who is the murderer because the is no evidence and like I said the trail was about he said she said crap!!!! No one is ranting about the baby momma, I'm just saying how it really is with her, there's no reason to get mad at the truth. I understand someone son was murdered but you know what being part of a gang either has you killed or in jail. I know no one has the right to take someones life but that's the chance you take when you want to be a "GANG BANGER." Since you are soo confident that Jose did then where's your evidence??? Since you seem to be so smart. No reason for anyone to be offended by any comments "EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN OPINION."
Mad what is there to get mad about. I think that it's actually quite funny. She has been a strong women and taken care of the kids since day one on her own. His parents helped out with what a babysitter. Wow that is a lot. I never knew that it was the parents responsibility to take care of those kids anyways. Oh well doesn't matter what you think your not financially supporting them she is. Apparently there was enough to charge him with murder. Finally you have said one thing that makes sense a gang member either ends up in jail or dead. That is why J.R. is in jail. You act as though they sent an innocent man to jail. We’re talking about someone that continuously committed crimes. I don’t think that there wasn’t a year that went by that he wasn’t charged with something. This guy was a gang banger, drug dealer, robbed anyone and everyone for drugs, rims, cars, etc. and let’s see got charged so many times for domestic abuse that the last one was a felony. Oh and not to mention child endangerment. Maybe if he wouldn’t have bragged about murdering someone then he wouldn’t be in the situation that he is in. So please he finally got what was coming to him. You don’t feel sorry for the life that was lost but you feel sorry for this loser please.
Where is the evidence.... "We the jury find the defendant guilty of first degree murder!!!!!"
Yeah that's not evidence!!! Look up the meaning!!!
Ummm.... Apprently there was enough otherwise he would be out walking the streets. We don't need a murderer, drug dealer, wife beater, robber, gang banger running the streets. GOD I LOVE OUR THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. You can waste your continuing to argue but it is what it is. This is the life he chose to live.
I am tired of reading this blog. and people bashing on this man. everyone has thier own opinion but enough is enough to the family that think justice wa served well sorry to tell you it wasnt cause the man that murdered your loved one is still out on the streets. and for his baby momma just quit already everyone knows why you hate this man. im sure if he was out you wouldnt be saying all these things to his face you would be dropping those kids off to him so you can go be you!!! and do what you do. LEAVE THIS MAN ALONE ALREADY