In a tragic turn of events on a Sunday afternoon in March 2014, 17-year-old Antonio 'Joey' Flores was fatally shot inside a friend's apartment in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Philadelphia. The male teenager was with a group of friends on the 1600 block of Wallace Street when one of them produced a gun and fired a single shot, striking Flores in the head. While most of the friends scattered after the incident, one remained and contacted the police.
Flores was rushed to Hahnemann University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Sergio Santiago, a 23-year-old man described as Flores' lifelong friend, as the primary suspect. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and three days after the shooting, Santiago was apprehended at the Neshaminy Inn. The motive for the shooting remained unclear to investigators, as there was no known animosity between the two friends. Flores' family expressed their shock and grief, stating that Flores had idolized Santiago and that their family had even taken Santiago in when he had nowhere else to go.
In August 2015, Sergio Santiago pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and weapons charges in connection with the death of his best friend. Under a plea agreement, he was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in state prison. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Santiago had pulled out a. 38-caliber revolver and shot Flores without any words being exchanged. While his attorney referred to the shooting as a 'tragic accident,' the prosecutor countered that 'accidents are not called murder.'
