BOSTON, Oct. 27, 2016—The South Boston man convicted today in the murder of 29-year-old Edwin Santos faces life in prison during his sentencing tomorrow morning, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

A Suffolk Superior Court jury today found ELIAS SANCHEZ (D.O.B. 1/12/70) guilty of second-degree murder in Santos’ 2013 stabbing and beating death.  At his sentencing tomorrow, Judge Jeffrey Locke is expected to impose the mandatory term for second-degree murder of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Jurors acquitted Sanchez’ son, ANGEL SANCHEZ (D.O.B. 5/15/97), and brother, GABRIEL SANCHEZ (DOB 1/31/81), of murder charges for what prosecutors had sought to prove was their role as fellow attackers in the group attack that caused Santos’ death.  All three men had been indicted for first-degree murder.

During more than two weeks of trial, Assistant District Attorney Mark Zanini introduced evidence and testimony to prove that Elias Sanchez approached Santos as he stood with a female companion outside a Dorchester Street market on the afternoon of Nov. 17, 2013.  The evidence showed that Elias Sanchez, armed with a club or baton, violently beat Santos, who suffered blunt force injuries and multiple stab wounds during the attack.  Zanini had sought to prove that Sanchez’s son and brother also took part in the fatal assault.

Santos stumbled into the market and collapsed.  Sanchez fled on foot but was quickly identified as an assailant and arraigned the next day.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Sears of the DA’s Appellate Unit second-chaired Zanini.  Jennifer Sears is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Elias Sanchez is represented by Michael Doolin, Angel Sanchez by J.W. Carney, and Gabriel Sanchez by Eduardo Masferrer.  Sentencing is expected at or around 10:00 a.m. tomorrow in courtroom 808 of Suffolk Superior Court.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.