Sentencing set today for two defendants convicted of 2009 murder of Chicago police officer
The two remaining defendants convicted of the 2009 murder of Chicago Police Officer Alejandro “Alex†Valadez will be sentenced today, Wednesday, March 19, during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago.
Kevin Walker, 24, and Christopher Harris, 25, were previously convicted of the officer’s murder. A third defendant, Shawn Gaston, 25, was also convicted of the murder of Valadez and he is currently serving a 125-year prison sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Officer Valadez was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call in the Englewood community in June of 2009. Valadez and his partner were investigating a report of gunshots fired in the 6000 block of South Hermitage when the fatal shooting took place. The defendants were in the area seeking retaliation for an earlier confrontation with rival gang members when they came upon Officer Valadez who was responding to the call. The defendants began firing from their vehicle and Officer Valadez was struck and fatally wounded.
Walker and Harris will be sentenced by Cook County Judge Jorge Alonso. Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez is the lead prosecutor in the case along with Assistant State’s Attorneys Frank Marek and Jeff Allen.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for noon in Room 207.
