PHOENIX — A man who shot and killed another driver in a South Phoenix road rage incident was sentenced to life in prison on Friday, officials announced.
Steven Orona, 39, was convicted of first-degree murder and drive-by shooting for the deadly September 2020 incident that left Larry Milligan dead, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO).
Why was the south Phoenix road rage shooter sentenced to life in prison?
Orona and Milligan were both driving on Seventh Avenue near Interstate 17 when Orona pulled up next to Milligan’s car, shot through the open window — striking Milligan in the head — and drove off, surveillance video showed.
MCAO said that more than a month later, Phoenix Police discovered Orona’s SUV in Buckeye at a property owned by his girlfriend’s family. The rims of the car had been painted black in an attempt to change its appearance.
Yessenia Garcia Rocha, Orona’s girlfriend, was sitting in the passenger seat during the shooting and later testified that she and Orona had agreed to hide the SUV.
Rocha was previously sentenced to one year of probation after she pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of tampering with physical evidence.
Milligan’s wife spoke at Orona’s sentencing and said she and her husband had been together since they were 15 years old and had three children together.
“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 for our children, navigating the challenges of daily life while comforting them in grief. As I stand before you, I want to show my children the importance of fighting for what is right.”
She described her late husband as a devoted father who filled their home with warmth and laughter.
“An exchange that lasted 48 seconds destroyed a family,” County Attorney Rachell Mitchell said in the announcement. “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.”
We want to hear from you.
Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.
