Brian Sanchez Duarte (Gwinnett County Sheriff”s Office).

On Thursday, Brian Sanchez Duarte was convicted of malice murder and possession of a firearm during a crime, receiving a life sentence for the death of 22-year-old Alinton Joel Rivera-Zuniga. This verdict was announced in a press release by the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, as reported by local news outlets.

The tragic events unfolded in the early hours of November 27, 2022, at the Alta Gama event hall in Norcross, a suburb near Atlanta. Rivera-Zuniga and another man, traveling in a red SUV, extended a ride to Duarte.

Once inside the vehicle, Duarte feared Rivera-Zuniga might be armed. To alleviate these concerns, Rivera-Zuniga stripped down to his underwear to show he was unarmed. A witness, the other passenger, testified that they stopped the SUV, after which Duarte exited the vehicle, approached the rear passenger door, and ordered Rivera-Zuniga to step out.

Upon exiting, Rivera-Zuniga was shot by Duarte in what prosecutors have described as an “execution-style” killing. Duarte and the other man then fled the scene, leaving Rivera-Zuniga lifeless on the road.

That’s when Duarte shot Rivera-Zuniga dead in an “execution-style” killing, according to prosecutors. The other man and Duarte drove away, leaving Rivera-Zuniga dead in the road.

htchThe jury deliberated for about two hours before rendering the guilty verdict.

“This was a senseless death,” District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said in a statement. “This verdict and sentencing send a message that deadly violence is uncalled for. We hope the outcome of this case helps the victim’s family find solace.”