DC man sentenced to 45 years for murder of 17-year-old

A D.C man was sentenced to 45 years in prison Friday for the murder of 17-year-old Brayan Villatoro U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves says.

A D.C. man was sentenced to 45 years in prison Friday for the murder of 17-year-old Brayan Villatoro, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves says.

In January, 31-year-old Mussay Rezene was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of Villatoro in September 2021.

According to the attorney’s office, at approximately 9 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2021, Villatoro was riding in a minivan with friends heading to a family party when he asked the driver to stop to meet with someone at the 1300 block of Nicholson Street Northwest.

The victim waited outside an apartment building before Rezene arrived in a vehicle that was later established to be stolen.

The two went down a nearby ally. Shortly thereafter shots were heard and, Graves said, Villatoro was shot eight times. Both Rezene and Villatoro’s friends fled the area.

Metropolitan Police arrived on the scene to find Villatoro had succumbed to his injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Surveillance video showed Rezene wearing “distinct shoes and clothing,” which matched what he was wearing in a picture posted on social media after Villatoro was killed.

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