Gang Member Found Guilty in 2012 Murder
A Chicago street gang member has been found guilty of the shooting death of a passenger sitting in a car near his residence, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Joseph Sanders, 23, of Chicago, was found guilty of 2nd Degree Murder in connection with the death of 17-year-old Taylor Diorio of Chicago Ridge.
According to prosecutors, in the early morning hours of August 18, 2012, the victim was the front seat passenger in a car driving in the 2400 block of west 35th Street. The vehicle stopped on that block in front of Sanders home and another passenger briefly exited the vehicle. Sanders claimed that when he looked out of a second floor window a bottle was thrown at him. Sanders responded by firing a gun multiple times at the vehicle, hitting the victim in the right side of her head. When Sanders began shooting, the passenger re-entered the vehicle and the driver went to a local hospital where the victim died from her injury.
Sanders was found guilty late yesterday after a four day jury trial at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago. Sanders’ next court date is March 24 for post-trial motions and sentencing.
State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Assistant State’s Attorneys Kirsten Olson and Christina Brewer and the Chicago Police Department for their work on this case.
