***MEDIA ADVISORY***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 15, 2012

QUIROZ PLEADS GUILTY TO MURDER

Media Contact: Curtis T. Hill, Jr. (574) 296-1888

Jose Quiroz, 17, appeared in Elkhart Circuit Court today and pled guilty to murder in connection with his participation in the October 3rd burglary at 1919 Frances Avenue, Elkhart, which resulted in the death of one of his co-conspirators. Danzele Johnson, 21, and Blake Layman, 17, were both shot by the homeowner during the burglary attempt and Johnson died from his wounds.

During the factual basis for the plea, Quiroz testified that on the day of the shooting, he and co-defendants Blake Layman and Levi Sparks were identifying homes in the neighborhood to target for burglary. Quiroz testified that Levi Sparks had gone down Frances Avenue knocking on doors. After recruiting the assistance of Danzele Johnson and Anthony Sharp, the group of five acted on the victim's house across the street form Quiroz. Quiroz further testified that Sparks remained on Quiroz's front porch across the street from the victim's home while Quiroz, Layman, Johnson and Sharp proceeded to break in to the home. once the four intruders were in the home, they were confronted by the victim who, fearing for his safety, fired shots, one of which struck Johnson, killing him. The prosecuting attorney previously determined that the homeowner acted reasonably and in self defense.

In exchange for Quiroz's pleas of guilty, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney has agreed to a stipulated sentence of 55 years in the Department of Correction with 10 of those years suspended under supervised release. Judge Terry C. Shewmaker accepted the plea agreement, entered the conviction of record and scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2012.

The remaining three co-defendants are set for trial by jury on January 17, 2013 in the Elkhart Circuit Court.

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“Under Indiana law, all persons arrested for a criminal offense are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”