However, an appeal by prosecutors has put the trial on hold even before jury selection was to begin.
Josue Alejandro Quintanilla-Reyes was charged hours after the shooting. He was charged with murder in the death of Ricardo Cardenas.
The judge put the trial on hold Monday after prosecutors appealed the ruling that Quintanilla-Reyes' immigration status can be left out. A higher court will have to decided whether jurors can hear about his immigration status and there is no timeline for when that decision will come.
Waiting on Justice
The family of Ricardo Cardenas says they are still waiting for justice more than a year after he was shot and killed.
Quintanilla-Reyes has pleaded not guilty and claims he acted in self-defense. On Monday, he rejected a plea deal that would have reduced the murder charge to second-degree murder.
"To my understanding, they're not treating the case seriously," said Ramon Baez, the victim's brother. "I hope the best people can support us because this is a very injustice."
Prosecutors say Quintanilla-Reyes fired multiple shots through his passenger window into Cardenas' car, killing him in March 2025. Federal authorities say Quintanilla-Reyes was in the U.S. illegally and faces at least 30 years in prison on separate federal firearms and immigration charges.
The defense asked the judge to bar jurors from hearing about Quintanilla-Reyes' immigration status. On Monday, the judge granted that request - a decision Cardenas' family says leaves out important context.
"We're a little upset Monday because we don't feel like we've been heard," Baez said
For now, Cardenas' family says they are left waiting until a higher court decides whether jurors can hear about Quintanilla-Reyes' immigration status.
"He was my younger son. I miss him a lot," said Raul Baez, the victim's father. "I'm very confused right now. It does not look good for my son. I'm looking for justice."
If convicted, Quintanilla-Reyes could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
The Shooting
The shooting happened on Friday, March 8, 2025 around 6:20 a.m. on Interstate 40 East near N. Harrison Avenue, according to authorities.
Wake County deputies arrived and reported seeing a vehicle on the side of the road and the driver inside, who was injured. Deputies say the person was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and was pronounced dead later that day.
The driver who died was identified as 35-year-old Ricardo Baez Cardenas. In an interview after his death, Cardenas' family told ABC11 he was a father of two children and was on his way to work when he was shot.
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