Trial Of MS-13 Gang Shooting At LI Deli Ends In Mistrial: Report

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY - The trial of the getaway driver in a Central Islip deli fatal gang shooting in 2017 ended in a mistrial earlier this month, according to a report in Newsday.

In Jan. 2017, a member of the MS-13 Sailors clique saw Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla inside El Campesino Deli in Central Islip and decided to kill him, believing that he was a rival 18th Street gang member, according to the U.S. attorney.

MS-13 gang member Mario Aguilar-Lopez, drove to the deli along with two associates, approached Alvarado-Bonilla from behind and fatally shot him multiple times, the U.S. attorney said.

One of the bullets traveled through Alvarado-Bonilla's head and hit a deli employee standing directly in front of him, seriously injuring her, according to the U.S. attorney.

Jose Suarez, of Central Islip, was also charged in connection to the incident as the getaway driver following the killing, officials say.

Suarez was reportedly trying to "rise up the ranks" of the gang.

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In court on April 3, U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Bianco called for the mistrial after a juror claimed that Suarez's cousin and brother followed and photographed them one day after court in a white car, Newsday reports.

However, assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Tierney said in court on behalf of the government that they will be retrying the case in the future, according to the report.

Click here to read the full report on Newsday.com.

Last November, Aguilar-Lopez pleaded guilty to murder and assault charge in connection to the killing.