Santa Ana, California – Marcus Anthony Eriz, a Costa Mesa man, received a 40-year-to-life prison sentence on Friday for his involvement in a road-rage shooting that resulted in the death of 6-year-old Aiden Leos on an Orange County freeway. Eriz, 26, was found guilty of second-degree murder and firing at an occupied vehicle in January for the deadly incident that took place on May 21, 2021. In addition to the convictions, jurors confirmed allegations of personal handgun use.
During the sentencing hearing, Aiden’s family was notably absent, while Eriz took the opportunity to address them for the first time, offering an apology for the tragic loss. The heart-wrenching events unfolded when Aiden, seated in the back of his family’s car on the way to kindergarten, was struck by a bullet fired from another vehicle. Aiden’s mother, Joanna Cloonan, testified in court about the distressing moments of the fatal freeway confrontation nearly three years ago.
Cloonan recalled feeling uneasy when a white Volkswagen Golf SportWagen cut in front of her car, after which the driver reportedly made a gesture that she found disingenuous or sarcastic. The situation escalated when Cloonan responded with a gesture of her own, leading to the fatal shot being fired. Prosecutors described the subsequent events as something Cloonan would deeply regret.
Eriz was apprehended following an extensive search conducted by law enforcement to locate the shooter. During opening statements of the trial, prosecutors described Eriz as callous for firing a round that penetrated the trunk of the Leos’ vehicle, ultimately hitting Aiden in the liver, lung, and heart while he was strapped into a booster seat. Cloonan sought help after hearing her son’s painful cry, flagging down an off-duty officer and trying to stop Aiden’s bleeding, realizing that his condition was rapidly deteriorating.
The trial included a distressing 911 call from Cloonan, along with testimony from the off-duty officer who came to their aid. For days after the shooting, authorities scoured for a suspect, urging the public for assistance and receiving numerous tips. Eriz attempted to evade capture by hiding the vehicle, altering his appearance, and eventually being apprehended with his girlfriend, who faces charges of being an accessory after the fact and possessing a concealed firearm in the vehicle. Both individuals are undergoing separate trials.