‘My daughter had just turned 14’: Family outraged by lenient sentence following Back of the Yards deadly shooting

CHICAGO (WGN) — A grieving Chicago family voiced their frustrations Tuesday after the man convicted of murdering their 14-year-old loved one in the city’s Back of the Yards neighborhood received decades behind bars.  

Speaking exclusively with WGN News, the family of Savannah Quintero says the sentence issued to Edgar Martinez is simply not enough, believing the convicted murderer got off easily.

“My goddaughter was only 14, walking out of the convenience store. She just went to get chips and a pop,” Crystal Youssef, the victim’s godmother, told WGN News. 

Savannah’s mother, Crystal Quintero, lamented that her daughter never returned home.

“I don’t get to see her. I don’t get to hear her voice. I don’t get to hug her,” she said. “My daughter had just turned 14. It broke me. I had cracks, but that broke me.” 

Chicago police say Savannah suffered a gunshot wound to the head in the 1700 block of W. 48^th Street in June of 2021 after leaving the store with her boyfriend. While walking, cellphone video captured the moments a group of assailants followed the teen for blocks, demanding to know if she had a gang affiliation.

Savannah denied any connections, pleading for her life, her family says, before Martinez callously fired the deadly shot. 

Savannah died three days later.

On Tuesday at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building, a judge sentenced Martinez to 22 years in prison. The victim’s mother said her killer lacked remorse. 

“I couldn’t understand,” Crystal Quintero said. “Gang members get more time for killing another gang member, and my daughter was innocent.”

Prosecutors also set their sights on another suspect in Savanah’s murder. The Great Lakes Regional Task Force arrested Michael Aguirre of New Lennox in 2021. Prosecutors charged Aguirre with first-degree murder and attempted murder of another victim, after allegedly trying to hire someone to kill a witness in the Quintero shooting.

Aguirre is due back in court on April 14.

Savannah Quintero’s loved ones say they’ll be at Aguirre’s upcoming trial to demand justice and seek closure. 

Responding to a WGN News inquiry, Cook County State’s Attorney spokespeople said they would not comment on whether Martinez, who also received four years for an aggravated weapon discharge, agreed to testify in Aguirre’s trial.