LABELLE, Fla — Thirty minutes was all a Hendry County jury needed to find Hector Santiago Jr. guilty of killing 15-year-old Eduardo Escobedo in a 2023 hit-and-run.
Fox 4's Hendry County Community Correspondent, Austin Schargorodski, has been following this story from the beginning, and has kept in touch with Escobedo's family ever since. They tell him justice is served, but at the same time, they are not celebrating.
Watch to hear what Eduardo's family told Austin, and see testimony from inside the courtroom:
“We the jury find as follows as to the defendant in this case – vehicular homicide – Eduardo Escobedo – guilty of vehicular homicide,” the court clerk read.
Schargorodski was the only reporter in court to see Hector Santiago Jr. shaking his head as the verdict was read.
In September 2023, 15-year-old Eduardo Escobedo was hit on his bike on Case Road, and then, prosecutors say the driver, Santiago Jr., drove off. Troopers said he was driving with a revoked license.
Eduardo's family says they're grateful - but still grieving. “Today is a semi-victorious day. But at the same time, Eduardo is no longer here. There is no celebration,” said Selina Barron, Eduardo’s Aunt.
They sat in the courtroom for days, including on Friday when investigators testified. Prosecutors said Santiago's fingerprints were on a can of White Claw found in the SUV.
But the defense argued that didn't prove he was driving. “There is an issue in the case about identification of Hector Santiago driving on that day,” the defense attorney told the jury.
However, prosecutors had video and black box data. They said the SUV was going over 75 miles per hour, never braked, and had only one person inside.
“Ladies and gentleman, it's an open book test. We know the results of what he did. He killed a 15-year-old boy,” prosecutors said.
A boy, never walking through his family's front door again. Eduardo's family said they're thankful for everyone who helped bring this case to justice, especially those who spoke up and came forward. They said their fight was never just about Eduardo - it was about making Case Road safer.
Schargorodski has shown how, because of their push, cameras have been installed, and streetlights and speed humps have been approved.
“We are here not just for us, but to make that change for other families that could potentially be impacted,” Barron said.
Santiago was found guilty on all charges: vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash involving death, and driving recklessly with a revoked license involving a death. He will be sentenced on September 12.
