Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that Victor Sanchez, 28, of Newark pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in connection with the death of Felix Torres-Diaz, 43, of Venezuela.
According to Assistant Prosecutor Rachel Gran, who handled the case, the victim and Sanchez got into an altercation. On Oct. 17, 2009 Sanchez returned to the 200 block of Park Avenue in Newark, shortly after 6 pm, and shot Torres-Diaz three times. Sanchez fled and was tracked to the Blue Sky Cafeteria in Miami on Jan. 8, 2010.
The trial was underway when Torres-Diaz decided to plead guilty before the Honorable Alfonse Cifelli, J.S.C. In exchange for his guilty plea, Sanchez is expected to be sentenced to 25 years in New Jersey State Prison when he is sentenced on March 2. Under the terms of the agreement, he must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
