BOSTON — An East Boston man was convicted of murder Friday for his role in the 2015 fatal shooting of an 18-year-old in Revere.
A Suffolk Superior Court jury found Luis Urbaez, 33, guilty of second-degree murder for killing Andres Jaramillo; armed assault with intent to murder for shooting at, but not hitting, a second teen; and unlawful possession of a firearm. He faces a mandatory life term at a sentencing hearing next week, according to Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas.
In a 2015 arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Mark Zanini told the court that shortly before midnight on Jan. 22, 2015, Urbaez and Juan “Juanito” Gaviria, of Revere, were searching for a teen in Revere who had been involved in a physical altercation with Gaviria earlier that day.
The two men located the teen, and Jaramillo, in Jaramillo’s parked Honda Accord on Garfield Avenue at around 2 a.m. on Jan. 23. According to Zanini’s statement to the court, Gaviria and Urbaez pulled up alongside the parked vehicle and opened fire on the two occupants, striking and killing Jaramillo.
Police responded to Garfield Avenue, a side street near North Shore Road, and found Jaramillo, of Chelsea, with fatal gunshot wounds.
Gaviria, then 18, was ordered held without bail at his arraignment in Suffolk Superior court in December 2015. He was charged with first-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a loaded firearm.
At the time, Urbaez was at large and was being sought by the State Police Violent Fugitives Apprehensive Section. He was arrested Dec. 16, 2015, according to Suffolk County District Attorney spokesman Jake Wark.
Urbaez and Gaviria are being tried separately, said Wark. Gaviria’s trial is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2018.
In the past two weeks Zanini introduced evidence and testimony proving that an associate of Urbaez had been involved in a physical altercation on Jan. 21, 2015.
The homicide was investigated by the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit with the assistance of Revere Police detectives. Based on their efforts and an extensive presentation to the Suffolk County Grand Jury, Urbaez was indicted for first-degree murder and other offenses in December 2015 and arrested a few days later.
Urbaez’ co-defendant will be tried separately next month.
Anite Cetoute was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Urbaez represented himself at trial with attorney Gregory Barison as stand-by counsel. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 4.
