成人X站

The mother of a 22-year-old man shot and killed in a Renton Safeway parking lot last fall told The Dori Monson Show that she is nervously anticipating a King County Superior Court ruling involving the 14-year-old accused shooter.

Maggie Perez Zuniga was on a mission trip in El Salvador when she got the call about the murder of her son, Marc Valladolid, a praise and worship leader at his church.

Dori: Pot shop victim鈥檚 dad says judge鈥檚 decision 鈥榮et in motion鈥� the killing

鈥淯nfortunately, our justice system – when it comes to juveniles – doesn鈥檛 make much sense,鈥� Zuniga told Dori鈥檚 listeners.

鈥淯ntil it happens to one of us, that鈥檚 when our eyes are opened,鈥� she added.

What Zuniga has learned since her son鈥檚 murder is that the teen boy wanted in the case will appear in court to determine whether he should be tried as an adult.

It is still unclear, the mom told Dori, whether the King County Superior Juvenile Court case will go before Judge Averil Rothrock. She is the same judge who released 14- and 15-year-old boys on electronic ankle monitors awaiting trial for their alleged robbery and pistol-whipping of a Federal Way pawnshop owner earlier this year.

According to King County prosecutors, the teens cut off their devices. Days later, Tacoma Police reported the same two robbed a Tacoma鈥檚 World of Weed and killed employee Jordan Brown, 29, in the process.

In her son鈥檚 case, Zuniga said, the accused teen is expected to appear in court later this month to determine whether the boy should be tried as an adult. According to the King County Prosecutor鈥檚 Office, the boy fled in a minivan driven by his teen girlfriend鈥檚 mother after shooting Valladolid four times in what appears to be an unprovoked attack on Oct. 29, 2021.

Three months later, Renton Police tracked down the boy after he connected to a second killing 鈥� this one in a separate Renton grocery store parking lot on Jan. 12. In that case, Anthony Pace, 54, was shot four times by an assailant matching the description of Zuniga鈥檚 son鈥檚 alleged shooter. 成人X站 Newsradio is not naming the teen because he is a minor.

Police made the connection using security video taken at both scenes.

Trying a younger teen 鈥� even one involved in two separate murders 鈥� as an adult is extraordinarily difficult, Dori told listeners.

鈥淚t is very, very hard 鈥� but not impossible,鈥� Zuniga agreed. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e reaching out to the community to raise awareness, to let the justice system, and judges and politicians know that they are being elected to protect our community, protect our people.鈥�

The accused teen needs to be held as long as possible because 鈥渉e is not able to function in society without violence and guns,鈥� she added.

Zuniga told Dori that many leaders fail the understand the severity of her loss. She points to a 鈥渓ack of empathy (because violence) has not come knocking on their door. That鈥檚 why they can go about making laws or supporting laws that are archaic or to their benefit.鈥�

Public safety survey: Deference to Seattle law enforcement dips to lowest point in seven years

Her son, Mark, she said, was 鈥渁n awesome musician and singer鈥� who was also a mechanic, preparing to open his first shop with his dad this year.

鈥淢y faith is what has kept me from going crazy,鈥� Zuniga said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 why I鈥檓 reaching out to do something positive in the community.鈥�

Even in her sadness, 鈥淚 forgive this kid, Dori,鈥� the grieving mom added. 鈥淪o many people have failed him in his life.鈥�

Update 5.4:

Maggie Perez Zuniga tells 成人X站 Newsradio that the defense has withdrawn its motion to release the suspect on an ankle monitor since the publishing of this article.

Listen to Dori Monson weekday afternoons from noon 鈥� 3 p.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the聽podcast here.