13-year-old victim in Gage Park family massacre begged for mercy: 'I just want to live!'

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Disturbing new details have emerged in the massacre of six family members in Gage Park. They were revealed in court as the two suspects made their first appearance Friday afternoon.

Diego Uribe Cruz, 22 and his 19-year-old girlfriend, Jafeth Ramos, are each charged with six counts of first degree murder.

Judge James Brown called the suspects actions "pure evil" and ordered them held without bail.

But outside court, a woman who called herself Ramos' legal guardian said she could not believe the woman she considers a granddaughter could have killed anyone.

“She was probably pressured by him (Cruz) that she would have to do it or else, she would be afraid of her own life,” said Lourdes Oliva.

She described Ramos' boyfriend, who’s now he father of their one-year-old son, as abusive and controlling.

“He was physically abusive to her, he was, he used to hit her, he used to not let her go out of the house with the baby,” Oliva said.

But prosecutors said in her videotaped confession, Ramos knew Cruz's motive when they went to his relatives home on February 2nd.

“She went with this defendant knowing full well that he was going there not only to get money, but to kill,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

In court, prosecutors said Cruz and Ramos gave videotaped confessions admitting they went to the Martinez home in Gage Park where Cruz asked Maria Martinez to go upstairs to talk. Cruz is the nephew of Armando Cruz, Maria’s ex-husband who was deported to Mexico.

Once upstairs, prosecutors said Cruz pulled a gun on Martinez and demanded money. She tried to fight him and was shot four times in the head.

Noe Martinez Jr. was pistol whipped and beaten when he came to help. Rosaura Martinez, their mother, tried to intervene and was kicked down the stairs and knocked unconscious. Both were then stabbed multiple times with a kitchen knife.

Prosecutors said 10-year-old Alexis Cruz was taken to the basement to help Cruz look for money, where he was stabbed to death.

Thirteen-year-old Leonardo Cruz was the next stabbing victim. Prosecutors say he pleaded for his life saying "Please no, please don't! I just want to live."

Noe Martinez Sr. was the final victim. He was stabbed to death when he arrived home with tamales and hot chocolate.

The suspects took a piggy bank full of change, other cash, jewelry and electronics, with some of the money used to buy milk and diapers for their one-year-old son.

Alvarez called it a senseless massacre.

“It appears six lives were taken for $550 and an X-Box,” she said.

After the murders, prosecutors said Cruz returned to work with cuts and scrapes but when co-workers asked about them, he claimed three guys jumped him and beat him up.

The judge ordered the defendants to be held without bail. They face a mandatory natural life sentence if convicted. They are due back in court May 26th.