A Jamaica man faces up to 75 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the 2016 murder of a New Jersey man, prosecutors announced Friday.
A jury determined that 31-year-old Elvin Hernandez, of 143rd Street in Jamaica, shot and killed 20-year-old Albert Schaper on Sept. 3, 2016, in Jamaica.
According to trial testimony, Hernandez walked up to a parked vehicle at around 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 3 in the vicinity of 89th Avenue and 139th Street and asked the three men sitting inside, “Are you kings?”
Shortly after, Hernandez allegedly fired several rounds into the vehicle, striking Schaper once in the chest. The driver suffered gunshot wounds to both of his arms, and a third victim sustained multiple lacerations from shards of broken glass, according to prosecutors.
The three men were transported to a nearby hospital, where Schaper was pronounced dead and the others were treated for their injuries.
“The defendant fired into a vehicle, killing one man and injuring two others. This senseless gunplay has no place in the streets of Queens,” Acting Queens District Attorney John M. Ryan said. “A jury weighed the evidence presented at trial and rendered a guilty verdict. This defendant now faces spending the rest of his life behind bars.”
The Violent Felony Apprehension team arrested Hernandez three days after the incident on Sept. 6 after receiving information from an individual with knowledge of the shooting, according to trial testimony.
A jury found Hernandez guilty on Friday of second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree attempted assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael B. Aloise set sentencing for Oct. 23, when Hernandez faces up to 75 years to life in prison.
