A 16-year-old Colorado boy killed his ex-girlfriend in front of her little brother earlier this month after she tried breaking up with him, police said Tuesday.
Jovanni Sirio-Cardona is being tried as an adult in connection with the shooting death of 15-year-old Lily Silva-Lopez, according to Weld County District Court Division 17.
Prosecutors believe Sirio-Cardona followed through on a promise he made to take her life after she attempted to end their six-month relationship four weeks earlier.
Sirio-Cardona was allegedly caught on camera sprinting down the bike path that runs along Lily’s trailer park home at 3:45 p.m. June 16 — just five days before her birthday — before he forced himself through her bedroom window in Greeley, a suburb of Denver.
Lily yelled for her 13-year-old brother, who was watching TV in another room, to run for his life seconds before shots rang out, the boy told police, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Denver 7.
Sirio-Cardona allegedly fired multiple shots at his ex-girlfriend in the hallway of her home.
Lily’s brother told police he saw his sister on the ground and Sirio-Cardona — with a black gun with a green scope in hand — standing over her with blood dripping from the bridge of his nose.
Lily’s brother pleaded for his life as the accused teenage killer took away his iPhone so he couldn’t call for help, police allege.
Sirio-Cardona reportedly asked the young teenager to help move Lily’s body before dragging her back into her bedroom on his own.
The boy later ran to a neighbor’s home to call 911 after Sirio-Cardona had already fled the scene.
The 13-year-old quickly fingered Sirio-Cardona as the killer, police said.
According to records, when his grandma asked why police officers responded to Sirio-Cardona’s home, he told her “he did what he had to do and shot someone.”
Domestic violence plagued Sirio-Cardona and Lily’s six-month relationship, Lily’s mom told investigators.
Sirio-Cardona allegedly put a barrel of a gun into Lily’s mouth last month when she told him she wanted to break up, telling his alleged victim that “she wasn’t going to break up with him and she needed to tell him she loved him.”
Six days before her murder, police were called to Lily’s home after she reported that Silva-Lopez punched her in the face and hurt her arms.
He was also spotted stalking her house just two days before he allegedly killed her, records state.
Lily would have celebrated her 16th birthday June 21, according to her obituary.
The teen had just completed her sophomore year and was working at Wing Shack.
“She enjoyed shopping, clothes, makeup and dancing. She loved to eat! Enchiladas were her favorite. She loved animals. She was a loving and caring friend with lots of spice,” her family said.
Sirio-Cardona was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, burglary, aggravated robbery and juvenile possession of a handgun.
A judge set his bail for $2 million.
