Gang Banger Convicted of Killing DePaul Honors Student

A 22-year-old gang member was convicted Tuesday of murdering DePaul University student Francisco "Frankie" Valencia outside a Halloween party in Logan Square last year.

“Without Berly Valladares, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened,” Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Mark Shlifka said in his closing arguments.

Valladares also was convicted of aggravated battery with a firearm for the shooting of Valencia’s girlfriend Daisy Camacho, who was also wounded in the gangway outside the party in the 1700 block of North Rockwell.

When Valladares took the stand earlier Tuesday, he conceded he gave the TEC-9 semiautomatic to Narcisco Gatica, who opened fire.

But the self-admitted Maniac Latin Disciple said he didn’t think that Gatica would actually shoot.

The weapon, Valladares said, was for "protection."

A group of Maniac Latin Disciples descended on the party, angry because they’d been force to leave the premises earlier in the night, prosecutors said.

"Frankie was going to be somebody," Shlifka told jurors, referring to 21-year-old political science major.

"He helped make Frankie be somebody," Shlifka continued pointing to Valladares.

"He made Frankie a murder victim."

Gatica, 20, is awaiting trial.