The short version
- El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora reported that on Thursday, Oct. 29, Judge Alexis Álvarez Del Valle found Samuel Hernández Ventura guilty on all six counts
- The Department of Justice said the murder occurred on Feb. 26 in Ceiba after Hernández Ventura learned his ex-partner planned to end the relationship and seek a protection order
- Justice officials stated he approached the victim at work, slapped him, shot him multiple times, reloaded and shot again while the victim was on the ground
- Prosecutors presented 3 eyewitnesses, 5 police officers, the victim's mother, a firearms examiner and forensic results during the Oct. 26-29 trial
Verdict and charges
A judge of the Fajardo Court of First Instance declared Samuel Hernández Ventura guilty of first-degree murder and five other charges for the shooting death of José Luis Ortiz Peña in Ceiba. El Nuevo Día reported the verdict was issued on Thursday after a bench trial that ran from Oct. 26 to Oct. 29.
According to the Department of Justice, Hernández Ventura faces up to 120 years in prison. The charges include three violations of the Weapons Law — firing and pointing a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license and possessing ammunition without a license — plus endangering public safety by firing in a public place and simple assault. Primera Hora reported the same set of charges and potential sentence.
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What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
el convicto se expone a una pena de hasta 120 años de prisión
Our translation: the convict faces a sentence of up to 120 years in prison
The source's own statement, as quoted by Departamento de Justicia. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Details of the shooting
Both outlets reported that the killing took place on Feb. 26. The Department of Justice stated that after learning his former partner, the victim's mother, intended to end the relationship and request a protection order, Hernández Ventura went to the location where Ortiz Peña was working.
Justice officials said he made a comment about the mother, slapped the victim, drew a firearm and shot him several times. He then reloaded the weapon and fired again while Ortiz Peña was on the pavement before fleeing. The investigation was led by Agent Luz M. Sánchez Torres of the Fajardo Homicide Division.
Where the sources differ
El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora agree on all core facts: the defendant's name, the victim's name, the date and location of the murder, the six charges, the judge's name, the trial dates, the number and types of witnesses presented, the sequence of events, the lead investigator and the maximum possible sentence. The two reports differ only in minor wording and in that El Nuevo Día attributes the initial announcement directly to Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres while Primera Hora notes she highlighted the work of the Fajardo prosecutors.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state when sentencing will occur, whether Hernández Ventura has prior convictions that could affect the final term, the exact number of shots fired, the precise location within Ceiba where the shooting happened, or whether a protection order had already been filed. They also do not indicate if the defense presented any witnesses or evidence.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Declaran culpable al acusado de asesinar al hijo de su expareja en Ceiba
- Reporting Declaran culpable al acusado de asesinar al hijo de su expareja en Ceiba
- Reporting Culpable hombre que asesinó al hijo de su expareja en Ceiba
How we checked this
Both El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora based their stories on the same Department of Justice press release issued on Oct. 30. All details about the trial testimony, forensic evidence and the defendant's actions rest on that official account and the prosecutors' presentation in court.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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