An Annapolis man, Alexander Salinas, aged 21, was handed down a 15-year prison sentence on Wednesday after pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of his friend, Luis Angel Meza-Santiago, following a shooting incident outside an Edgewater restaurant in 2022, State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced in a press release from Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The Maryland Sentencing Guidelines proposed incarcerating Salinas for between 18 to 30 years for the murder and an additional 8 to 15 years for the firearm offense. Yet, the State pushed for a heavier penalty, seeking 60 years with all but 45 suspended and a non-negotiable term of five years without parole; on Wednesday afternoon, Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Morris decided Salinas would serve 40 years with 25 years suspended, afterward entering five years supervised probation upon release.
State's Attorney Leitess lamented the fatal event, stating, "The Defendant fired a shot at a group of individuals with the intent to kill or severely injure someone and ended up killing his friend instead," and highlighted the devastating impact on the victim's loved ones, commenting, "Luis was a loving son, nephew, brother, and the father of a young child. His family is devastated by their loss," as cited by county's press release.
In the early hours of December 3, 2022, after a fight outside Los Chaparitos restaurant, Salinas was caught on camera shooting into a group, causing Meza-Santiago to collapse. Bystanders detained Salinas, but the firearm disappeared after being passed around. Police arrested Salinas when he returned to the scene, and after giving inconsistent stories, he admitted to accidentally shooting his friend.
On May 30, Salinas entered his guilty plea to the charges of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in a crime of violence, with Assistant State's Attorneys Marot Williamson and Alessandro Pacheco prosecuting before the Honorable Elizabeth Morris.
