California man GUILTY of capturing boy, 6, lifeless in highway rage incident

 The California man accused of capturing lifeless a 6-year-old boy at the back of his mom’s automotive throughout a match of highway rage has been convicted of second-degree homicide.

An Orange County jury reached a verdict Thursday within the trial of Marcus Anthony Eriz, 26, who was discovered responsible of killing Aiden Leos as his mom drove him to high school on the 55 Freeway.

The Costa Mesa man was additionally discovered responsible of inflicting nice bodily harm and demise and capturing at an occupied car.

According to the testimony of Aiden’s mom, Joanna Cloonan, who took the stand Monday, a Volkswagen SportWagen ‘swerved out of the carpool lane’ and in entrance of her automotive as they headed down the freeway in May 2021.

After reducing her off, Eriz’s girlfriend Wynne Lee – who was driving – flashed a ‘peace signal.’

‘I didn’t need to be close to these folks,’ Cloonan stated. ‘I left the carpool lane. We have been subsequent to one another. I made a gesture. And I began to merge away from them.’ 

Marcus Eriz Anthony has been discovered responsible within the capturing demise of six-year-old Aiden Leos, who was killed in May 2021 as his mom drove him to high school 

Aiden’s mom, Jessica Cloonan, testified Monday that she briefly made eye contact with Eriz, who smiled at her after she gave him and his girlfriend the finger for reducing in entrance of her

The preschooler (pictured with Cloonan, left, and sister Alexis, proper) was pronounced lifeless on the hospital after a bullet tore via his liver, lung and coronary heart

Eriz (pictured on the time of his arrest in 2021)  was discovered responsible of second-degree homicide Thursday. His girlfriend, Wynne Lee, was driving the automotive on the time of the incident and has a pretrial listening to scheduled for subsequent month

The ‘gesture,’ she acknowledged, was the center finger – one which prosecutors stated she would ‘remorse past comprehension.’

Cloonan testified that she briefly made eye contact with Eriz, who sat within the passenger seat. ‘He checked out me and smiled after the gesture,’ she stated.

Moments later, she heard an impression, adopted by her son crying out. She circled and noticed him slumped over.

Cloonan pulled over and frantically known as 911. An off-duty police officer and paramedics tried to save lots of her little boy, however he was pronounced lifeless on the hospital. 

Investigators later decided a bullet tore via the trunk of the Chevrolet Sonic earlier than coming into Aiden’s physique, piercing his liver, lung and coronary heart.

The six-year-old was killed simply 10 days after his birthday. 

Cloonan, who burst into tears as soon as the prosecution displayed a photograph of her six-year-old son, denied ever posing a hazard to the couple.

Eriz readily admitted to his position in Aiden’s demise throughout a police interrogation. 

 ‘We went in entrance of that girl, the girl got here as much as us and began appearing hostile towards us,’ Eriz advised police. ‘I don’t know why, I’ve no reply why, however I pulled out my Glock and pulled the set off and it was gone.’

The Costa Mesa man was additionally discovered responsible of inflicting nice bodily harm and demise and capturing at an occupied car

Eriz advised investigators throughout an interrogation that he solely discovered he was liable for the boy’s demise every week after the capturing, however didn’t flip himself in as he didn’t need Lee to get in bother

Cloonan testified that she heard one thing hit her automotive (pictured) earlier than Aiden cried out. When she circled, the little boy was slumped over

As authorities launched into a two-week manhunt for Aiden’s killer, they are saying Eriz hid the car in a relative’s storage and altered his look

Lee (pictured at a 2022 listening to) flashed a peace signal at Cloonan after reducing her off on the freeway, prompting Cloonan to provide her the finger

Lee, who was 23 on the time of her arrest, faces one felony depend of being an adjunct after the actual fact and one misdemeanor depend of getting a hid weapon. She is being tried individually

Of his motives, the 26-year-old stated: ‘I haven’t got a solution. Because I’m silly? I did not consider the implications or anybody.’

Eriz advised investigators he solely discovered he was liable for the boy’s demise every week after the capturing.

But he determined to not flip himself in as he thought Lee, who was 23 on the time, did nothing flawed. 

The pair have been arrested after a two-week manhunt. During that point, authorities say Eriz stashed the automotive in a relative’s storage, shaved his beard and altered his coiffure.

Lee, who’s being tried individually, was charged with one felony depend of being an adjunct after the actual fact and one misdemeanor depend of getting a hid firearm.

Her pretrial listening to is scheduled for February 9.