Juan José Martínez Matos pleaded Guilty for Jorge Steven Lopez's murder

This week, Juan José Martínez Matos pleaded guilty for Jorge's murder. If you don't remember, Jorge was brutally burned and murdered last year.

Juan José Martínez Matos, who had been scheduled to go on trial for Jorge Steven López Mercado’s death on Monday, May 17, confessed to the crime during a hearing in Caguas on Wednesday, May 12.

Martínez told the court he understood the consequences of his actions, and Judge Miriam Camila Jusino immediately sentenced him to 99 years in prison.

Jorge's mother, Myriam Mercado had this to say:

"We are able to find a bit of peace in this aspect, but it still not going to return Steven. But at least there is justice in Puerto Rico."

Jorge's father said this to the murderer:

"I want to send a message to Juan (Casper) and tell him there is hope in Christ. The lord has forgiveness for him, Irregardless of what has happened. God has a plan for him if he opens his heart to Christ. God will forgive him also."

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Suspect arrest for Jorge Steven López’s murder

Some movement in the Jorge murder case:

Puerto Rican police arrested a suspect earlier today in connection with a gay man’s gruesome murder. Primera Hora reported authorities took a 28-year-old man into custody in connection with Jorge Steven López’s murder.

Pedro Julio Serrano of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force identified the suspect to EDGE as Juan Jose Martinez Torres. López was found decapitated, dismembered and partially burned in a wooded area near Cayey on Nov. 13.

Serrano welcomed the arrest.

"Even when everyone is innocent until proven guilty, it is hopeful that they have arrested a suspect," he told EDGE in a statement. "We’re grateful for the Police work that has acted promptly and we trust that the investigation digs into the hate crime angle and if it is proven that it was indeed bias-related, that the criminal is processed to the full extent of the law."

Hopefully, this will be over soon.

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