Man guilty of 2007 first-degree murder of ice cream vendor, sentencing July 11

Online Staff Report

Rafael Santos, 23, was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder after a jury trial in front of the Judge Pumilia.

July 15, 2007, Isidro Duran was selling ice cream from a push cart near 716 Loomis in a Rockford residential neighborhood when he was approached by Santos and his two co-defendants. The three males robbed Duran at gunpoint. As Duran fled on foot and the defendant opened fire and shot Duran in the back, buttocks and legs. Duran died as a result of the gunshot wounds he sustained during the armed robbery.

First-degree murder is a class M felony with a sentencing range of 45 years to natural life since the defendant personally discharged a firearm that proximately caused death during the commission of the crime. The sentence is to be served at 100 percent.

Sentencing has been set for 10 a.m., July 11, in courtroom D of the Criminal Justice Center in front of Judge Pumilia.

Posted June 11, 2012