BRONX MAN IS FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER AND SENTENCED

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a Bronx man has been convicted of the 1999 murder of a 16 year-old Bronx youth and has been sentenced to a term of up to life imprisonment.

Rafael Medina, 22, of 644 Wales Avenue, in a non-jury trial, was found guilty of 1 count of Murder in the 2nd degree, and 1 count of Attempted Robbery in the 1st degree in the shooting death of Hansel Henrique. State Supreme Court Justice John A. Barone sentenced Medina to a term of 16 years to life imprisonment on the charge of Murder and a concurrent term of 8 years imprisonment on the attempted robbery charge.

Co-defendant Eduardo Garcia, 25, of 634 Prospect Avenue, pled guilty to Murder in the 1st degree in March 2002, and was sentenced to a term of 25 years to life imprisonment.

The murder occurred on the evening of October 8, 1999, as the southbound #2 train approached the East 149th Street and 3rd Train station. Medina and Co-defendant Garcia entered the last car of the train where the victim and his friends were sitting and brandished weapons. Garcia displayed a gun and demanded money and jewelry, while Medina displayed a knife and also demanded money and jewelry. As Garcia checked each person he noticed Henrique wearing a gold necklace. Garcia held the gun to Henrique’s head and ordered him to hand over the necklace. Witnesses testified that when Henrique told Garcia the necklace was fake, the defendant shot Henrique in the right side of his head. Henrique was shot with a .380 automatic pistol as he attempted to remove the necklace. The pair were apprehended in the next car as they attempted to blend into the crowd.

Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Theresa Gottlieb prosecuted both cases.