NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Two men were indicted for the murder of a Brooklyn man who was beaten unconscious before being run over with his own car in Astoria, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
Aaron Mayers, 25, and Zahir Williams, 24, were jointly indicted on charges of murder, gang assault and two counts of robbery.
Williams faces an additional count of murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
According to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, 50-year-old Francisco Ortega survived a brutal beating by Mayers and Williams and two other attackers in Astoria, but was killed when Williams drove over the unconscious victim.
At approximately 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 20, Ortega pulled a BMW sedan over in front of 40-06 Astoria Blvd. near Steinway Street, got out of his car and spoke to Williams and Mayer who were among a group of people standing nearby.
Ortega and Willliams appeared to argue and Ortega drove away but later returned. He got out of his car again to speak with Williams.
As Ortega stood between the driver's seat and open car door talking, one of the men in the group that was with Williams and Mayers sucker-punched him in the head from behind, causing him to fall to the ground.
As Ortega lay on the ground, Mayers, Williams and two others in the group repeatedly kicked and punched him.
Williams then stepped over the unconscious Ortega and got into the driver's seat of the victim's BMW.
Attempting to close the door, Williams repeatedly slammed Ortega's head and body. Mayers then pulled Ortega's body away from the side of the car toward the center of the road. Williams shut the car door and pulled away.
Williams drove around the block. As he approached Ortega, who was still lying in the road unconscious, Williams slowed down, lined the car up with Ortega's body and abruptly accelerated, driving over the victim.
Ortega's body was dragged for several feet before crashing into a parked car. Williams then exited the BMW and abandoned the scene on foot.
Ortega was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead due to multiple blunt impact injuries.
According to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, he was alive when Williams drove over him.
"An outnumbered victim was sucker-punched, viciously beaten unconscious and then mercilessly run over. We need to get people capable of such cold-blooded brutality off our streets as soon as possible," DA Katz said.
Both Williams and Mayers each face up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted. They are expected to return to court on Feb. 27, 2024.
