Prosecutors say a man who shot and killed another guest at a Logan Square quinceañera had a warrant out for his arrest because he failed to show up in court after he violated probation in an armed carjacking case.
Lionel Serrano, 19, was charged with first-degree murder on Thursday for allegedly killing Carlos Villagomez, 34, in the early hours of July 23 at Diamond Garden Banquet Hall, 3705 West Fullerton Avenue.
Serrano grabbed a drink at the bar around 1 a.m., then exchanged words with a man sitting at a nearby table with Villagomez, according to prosecutor Danny Hanichak. Serrano’s aunt, who was hosting her daughter’s party, stepped in.
Serrano then pointed a gun at another woman’s head, prompting more celebrants to step in, pushing and shoving, according to Hanichak.
But Serrano ran around a table, fighting people off, before he went up to Villagomez and shot him once at point-blank range in the back of his head, Hanichak said.
Then, Serrano allegedly ran outside to a car and fled the scene.
According to Hanicak, high-resolution color surveillance video captured the entire incident, including Serrano’s flight from the scene.
Police located Serrano on Wednesday and took him into custody.
Hanichak said Serrano was adjudicated delinquent for aggravated vehicular hijacking and aggravated discharge of a firearm in two cases dating back to 2020. According to Hanichak, Serrano violated his probation in the hijacking case but never returned to court to have the violation addressed. A warrant had been issued for his arrest.
Private defense attorney Joseph Lopez claimed that Villagomez “was very violent with [Serrano’s] mother earlier in the evening” and the situation escalated as people drank, getting “worse and worse and worse.”
“There was a reason for it,” Lopez argued, before alleging that the gun went off in a struggle for control of the weapon.
Judge Maryam Ahmad held Serrano without bail.
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