PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A man convicted in a deadly road rage shooting in Phoenix has been sentenced to life in prison, prosecutors announced Friday.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, a jury convicted 39-year-old Steven Orona of first-degree murder and drive-by shooting in the death of Larry Milligan.
Mug shot of Steven Orona from 2020.(Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
During Orona’s sentencing on Friday, Milligan’s wife shared that they had been together since they were 15.
“The absence of his presence is felt in every corner of our home. The burden of grief weighs heavily on my heart,” she said. “Now I must step up as both mother and father of our children, navigating the challenges of daily life while comforting them in their grief. As I stand before you, I want to show my children the importance of fighting for what is right.”
The shooting happened in September 2020, when Orona shot Milligan as they were driving on Seventh Avenue near Interstate 17 in central Phoenix. Surveillance footage showed Orona pulling up alongside Milligan’s car and firing a shot through an open window, striking Milligan in the head before taking off.
Phoenix police later found Orona’s car in Buckeye with altered rims.
Court records revealed Orona’s girlfriend told police she was in the car during the shooting, testifying that she agreed to help hide the SUV after they recognized it on the news. She was sentenced to one year of probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of tampering with physical evidence.
During questioning, Orona said he didn’t call 911 because he wanted to “meet his children and spend the evening instead of dealing with police.”
“An exchange that lasted 48 seconds destroyed a family,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “We see road rage shootings like this far too often, and anyone who resorts to this level of violence out of anger belongs in prison.”
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