Annapolis, Maryland – Alexander Salinas, 21, of Annapolis, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison for fatally shooting his friend outside an Edgewater restaurant in 2022, State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced.
The Maryland Sentencing Guidelines called for a sentence of 18 to 30 years for Second-Degree Murder and 8 to 15 years for the firearm offense. The State sought a sentence of 60 years, with all but 45 years suspended with the first five years to be without the possibility of parole.
On Wednesday afternoon, Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Morris imposed a sentence of 40 years, with all but 15 years suspended. He will be placed on five years of supervised probation upon release.
"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. This was senseless gun violence and the victim's life was taken away by this impulsive act," Leitess said. "Luis was a loving son, nephew, brother, and the father of a young child. His family is devastated by their loss."
On December 3, 2022, just after midnight, Anne Arundel County police were called to Los Chaparitos restaurant in Edgewater. Upon arrival, officers found Luis Angel Meza-Santiago, 26, lifeless in the parking lot with a small group of individuals surrounding him. Meza-Santiago was rushed to Anne Arundel Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased.
Police, along with air and K9 support, canvassed the area surrounding the restaurant for the suspect. They were eventually alerted to a man who was loud and disruptive at the scene, later identified as the suspect, Alexander Salinas, who had returned to the scene.
Police learned Meza-Santiago and Salinas arrived at the restaurant earlier that night and were near a table that sat a large party of people. At one point, the group moved outside. Shortly thereafter, a surveillance camera captured Salinas exiting the restaurant and pulling out a firearm, firing a single shot toward the group. Meza-Santiago immediately fell to the ground. Following the shooting, the camera captured individuals tackling Salinas and the firearm changing hands several times. The weapon was never recovered.
Salinas was placed under arrest at the scene. While interviewed, he gave multiple conflicting accounts and eventually admitted to unintentionally shooting his friend.
On May 30, 2024, Salinas entered a Guilty Plea to Second-Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State's Attorney Marot Williamson and Assistant State's Attorney Alessandro Pacheco on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County, with the Honorable Elizabeth Morris presiding.