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Man sentenced to 10 years for killing 14-year-old
A northern Virginia man accused of fatally shooting 14-year-old Michai Malave was sentenced on Friday to the maximum sentence of ten years behind bars. FOX 5's Tisha Lewis reports.
HERNDON, Va. - A northern Virginia man accused of fatally shooting 14-year-old Michai Malave was sentenced on Friday to the maximum sentence of ten years behind bars.
What we know:
Ismael Cruz Del Cid, now 20 years old, was sentenced to a decade behind bars plus three years of supervised probation in the shooting death of 14-year-old Michai Malave.
This was the outcome of a plea agreement after a jury could not reach a verdict and a key witness was reportedly unable to testify a second time.
Ismael Cruz Del Cid is charged with volunteer manslaughter as part of a plea agreement.
He entered an Alfred plea, meaning he did not acknowledge guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for prosecution.
Dig deeper:
FOX 5 has learned the victim’s family initially opposed a plea deal, but say their options were limited due to a key witness who was unavailable to testify in a second trial after a hung jury in the first trial.
"It’s been almost two years of back and forth court dates and just hearing blatant lies. You’ve seen the defense attorney and I’m just ready for me and my daughter to heal without getting that bandaid ripped off again every few months," said Jenna Malave, the Michai's mother.
The backstory:
Del Cid was accused of fatally shooting Michai Malave back in March 2024 outside a Herndon hotel off Coppermine Road.
The shooting happened on the 1300 block of Coppermine Road in Herndon. Del Cid was also accused of fatally shooting another teen who survived. Investigators say this was not a random shooting and that Del Cid and the victims knew each other.