Judge vacates double-murder conviction of a Chicago man; cites evidence supporting innocence

2025-04-20 11:05:56 source: category:Scams

A judge on Tuesday vacated the double-murder conviction of a Chicago man who has spent the last 34 years in prison for the shooting deaths of two 14-year-old boys.

Francisco Benitez, 52, maintained his innocence in a motion for post-conviction relief, saying he had an alibi for the April 28, 1989, slayings of Prudencio Cruz and William Sanchez and that he was being framed by Chicago police detectives.

Cook County Judge Sophia Atcherson made the ruling, citing evidence supporting Benitez’s innocence presented during a hearing earlier this year. She released Benitez on a personal recognizance bond with electronic monitoring.

However, Benitez still faces murder charges because prosecutors haven’t dropped the case.

“This has been a very, very long road, and I’m glad my son is coming home,” his mother, Betty Benitez, said.

More:Scams

Recommend

Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch

It’s finals week at many colleges and universities across the country, which means the pickings for

He won $3 million in a lottery draw on his birthday. He didn't find out for a month.

When Utah resident J. Refugio Gonzalez Almeida returned to Idaho a month later to cash some small-do

Russian missile attack kills 7, including 6-year-old girl, in northern Ukrainian city

A Russian missile attack in the center of a northern Ukrainian city on Saturday killed seven people