Man convicted in Wake County couple's murders sentenced to life in prison without parole
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Jonathan Santillan has been sentenced to life in prison without parole in the killing of a Wake County couple inside their home near Garner in 2013.
Last week, a jury found Santillan guilty on all counts in the murders of Samuel Flores Mendoza and Maria Saravia Mendoza on Jan. 5, 2013.
Prosecutors said Santillan and another teen believed a rival gang member lived in the couple's home in the 700 block of Colonial Drive when they went in with an AK-47 assault rifle and a pistol and executed them. The Mendozas' 3-year-old child was also in the home at the time of the killings, but was not hurt. The couple's older child was not at the house.
Santillan was just 15 at the time.
Before the sentence was handed down Tuesday, the judge heard from family members of the victims and the convicted killer.
The judge ruled the courtroom camera could not show any witnesses including the sister of Maria Mendoza who told the judge about the night her sister and brother-in-law were murdered. She told the judge when she arrived at the scene she was confused.
"They said they are all dead, they've been killed," she said tearfully. "They said the child is fine, he's in the hospital but they've been murdered. And we said how is this possible? They never bothered anybody and didn't have any enemies."
She also said the couple's two sons - now 15 and 6 - are still having problems, especially the youngest one who witnessed his parents' murders.
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Besides being sentenced on two counts of murder, Santillan was also sentenced to 157-201 months of felony conspiracy to murder, 64- 89 month for first-degree burglary, and 25-42 months for possession of stolen property and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The judge also gave him credit for time served since his January 15, 2013 arrest.
