Alleged Valley Boyz Crips gang member arrested in death of 14-year-old Modesto girl
A Modesto man was charged Friday in the shooting death of a 14-year-old girl and the attempted murder of two other teens and an 11-year-old girl the day after Christmas.
Maria Juarez was in a vehicle with an 18-year-old woman, 16-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Oak Street when they were fired upon. All but the youngest girl were hit.
Juarez, a Modesto High School freshman who would have turned 15 on Jan. 15, died of her wounds.
On Friday the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s office charged Damon Lee Morrison Jr., 21, with murder, three counts of attempted murder and shooting at an occupied vehicle.
Morrison was arrested by Modesto Police on Wednesday. The Modesto Bee inquired about the arrest Thursday but Modesto Police spokeswoman Sharon Bear would not say what case his arrest was connected to. She said detectives told her it would compromise the investigation.
Morrison also faces enhancements for acting with premeditation, being the principal offender in the crimes, discharging a firearm and committing the crimes for the benefit of the criminal street gang Valley Boyz Crips.
If convicted of all charges as alleged, Morrison is facing a life term in state prison. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 26.
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 2:41 PM.
