31 charged in gang killings
AURORA | Suspected in 22 murders -- all allegedly by Latin Kings

June 30, 2007
BY DAN ROZEK Staff Reporter/drozek@suntimes.com
A three-year "cold case" investigation into unsolved gang killings in Aurora has resulted in 31 people being charged with 22 murders -- some dating back as far as 1989, authorities said Friday.


By Friday, 29 suspects were in custody on first-degree murder charges in the slayings -- all of which are believed to have been committed by members of the Latin Kings, the largest street gang in the west suburb.

"It should really rattle the foundations of this gang," Kane County State's Attorney John Barsanti said of the sweeping charges, which followed a joint investigation by Aurora Police, the FBI and Kane County authorities.


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Officials charges 31 people with 22 murders -- some dating back as far as 1989, on Friday.

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Many of those charged likely thought they had escaped punishment because the murders weren't solved immediately, Aurora Police Chief William Powell said.
"The significance is huge because I believe these individuals think they got away with murder," Powell said.

One of the murders authorities say they've solved is the 1996 killing of 16-year-old Noe Salinas, who was chased down by two gunmen and shot to death near his Aurora home. The teen had no gang ties, police said, and apparently was targeted by mistake.

On Friday, relatives said they were relieved to hear from police that two men -- 31-year-old Shane Lopez and 32-year-old Johnny Gonzalez -- have been charged with the teen's murder.

"I'm very glad to hear that," Noe's grandmother, Paulita Salinas, said after authorities announced the charges. "I felt like crying this morning when they told me."

Two of those charged in the investigation are 55-year-old Angel "Doc" Luciano, a reputed longtime leader of the gang in Aurora, and his son, 34-year-old Michael Luciano.

Both are charged with the 1990 shooting death of 18-year-old Alberto Garza, as well as the 1989 slaying of Willie Arce -- the oldest killing for which charges were filed.

Aurora Police Detective Michael Nilles was one of the first officers to respond when the 20-year-old Arce was shot to death through a window as he walked down his basement stairs. Nilles, then a young patrolman, later took on the still-unsolved case when he became a detective nine years ago. He said he never lost hope that charges someday would be filed.

"It was satisfying to solve that one," Nilles said of the Arce killing. "That's one that kind of stuck with me through the years."

Other charges in still-unsolved killings are likely, officials said.

"This is not the end," Powell said. "We're very close on other cases."

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