A Cook County judge on Wednesday sentenced Edwin Lagunas to 40 years in state prison after he pleaded guilty in the Austin garage-party shooting that killed 15-year-old Ruby Navarrete and 44-year-old Lynner Hawkins. The plea closes out a case that started with a late-night burst of gunfire on Chicago's West Side in November 2022 and then crawled through the courts for years.
Guilty plea and sentence
According to ABC7 Chicago, Lagunas pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and received a 40-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections, to be served at 100 percent. The station reported that he will get credit for the 1,148 days he has already spent in pretrial custody.
Shooting at an Austin garage
The shooting unfolded on the night of Nov. 20, 2022, in the 5800 block of West Augusta Boulevard, where a garage had been converted into an informal party spot, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Navarrete was shot in the head, and Hawkins, who was working security, was hit in the chest. Both were taken to Stroger Hospital and later pronounced dead, according to the paper.
Prosecutors' account of the attack
Cook County prosecutors told WTTW News that the violence began after security tried to escort an unruly guest out of the garage. Witnesses said Lagunas and another man left, then soon returned in a black sedan. Prosecutors said Lagunas got out and opened fire with a gun equipped with an extended magazine. Investigators cited phone records and witness statements tying him to the scene and said a third person was also shot and hospitalized.
Charges and earlier court steps
Lagunas was 18 when he was arrested and initially faced multiple counts, including two counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated battery with a firearm, according to a police account republished by Chicago City Wire. The case moved through bond hearings and pretrial motions before culminating in the recent guilty plea and sentencing.
Social media and the aftermath
Video and social media posts from the night showed dozens of people at the advertised party, and cellphone footage captured the chaos as guests tried to bolt from the garage when shots rang out, WTTW News reported. In earlier coverage, community members and families have said that social media promotion of these kinds of gatherings makes them harder to police and adds to safety worries on the West Side.
For the families of Navarrete and Hawkins, the guilty plea and 40-year term represent a long-awaited measure of accountability after years of court dates and delays. Media reports indicate the case will now be transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections for processing, and officials did not immediately offer additional public comment beyond what has already been reported.
