A 16-year-old Colorado boy has been arrested for killing his ex-girlfriend in front of her little brother after she tried to break up with him, according to police. Jovanni Sirio-Cardona is being charged as an adult for the alleged murder of his ex-girlfriend, Lily Silva Lopez, cording to the 19th Judicial District Attorney's Office in Weld County.
According to prosecutors, Sirio-Cardona is accused of carrying out a threat he had made to kill Lopez after she tried to end their six-month relationship a month ago. On June 16, at approximately 3:45 PM, Sirio-Cardona allegedly entered Lopez's residence by climbing through her bedroom window and proceeded to shoot her seven times.
Murder Out of Rage
He was captured on camera sprinting down the bike path adjacent to Lopez's trailer park home in Greeley, a suburb of Denver, just five days before Lopez's birthday, Subsequently, he forced his way through her bedroom window.
Lopez reportedly shouted for her 13-year-old brother, who was in a separate room watching television, to run for his life, moments before Sirio-Cardona started firing gunshots, as mentioned in an arrest affidavit obtained by Denver 7.
It is alleged that Sirio-Cardona fired multiple shots at his ex-girlfriend in the hallway of her residence.
The victim's brother told police that he saw Sirio-Cardona standing over his sister, who was lying on the ground. He was allegedly holding a black gun with a green scope, and blood was dripping from the bridge of his nose.
Lopez's brother reportedly pleaded for his own life but Sirio-Cardona took away his iPhone, preventing him from seeking help.
According to the police, after the shooting, Sirio-Cardona allegedly instructed the victim's 13-year-old brother to help him in removing his sister's body to another room.
Killed Inhumanly
Sirio-Cardona is also facing charges of burglary, aggravated robbery, and possession of a handgun by a juvenile, in addition to the murder charge, as reported by Fox31 Denver. After the distressing incident, the boy, whose parents were not home at the time of the shooting, sought refuge at a neighbor's house.
The neighbor, Antoinette Martinez, then called 911. She said: "It's sad. That makes me sad because I don't know why someone would do something so awful."
A few weeks before the tragic shooting, the Greeley Police Department received a call regarding a domestic violence incident at Lopez's home. During the incident, Lopez reported that Sirio-Cardona had allegedly punched her in the face and injured her arm.
Lopez's mother disclosed that her daughter had been through numerous such episodes of domestic violence during her relationship with Sirio-Cardona, as reported by the news outlet.
When the police officers arrived at Sirio-Cardona's residence, his grandmother asked why they were there, to which he reportedly said that "he did what he had to do and shot someone."
In a statement to the news outlet, Lopez's grieving family described her as an "awesome person."
"Lily was full of life she enjoyed makeup, shopping, and hanging out with her family and best friend.
"Lily was very hardworking and enjoyed working at wingshack, she loved and cared for all her coworkers and managers.
"Lily will be missed by many. Lily will continue to live in our hearts and she will always be our guardian angel. Lily will always be remembered as a loving, bright happy girl."
According to CBS Colorado, Sirio-Cardona is set to appear in court for a status conference on August 3. His bond has been set at $2 million.
