Jury returns guilty verdicts in 2015 slaying near Gainesway Farm

After hours of deliberation Thursday night, jurors found Felix Edil Rivera-Rodrigues, the Lexington man accused in the 2015 shooting death of Alejandro Dominguez-Hernandez, guilty of complicity to commit murder and four counts of drug trafficking.

Dominguez-Hernandez, 23, was found dead the night of Jan. 26, 2015, on Johnston Road, which connects Paris Pike and Bryan Station Road near Gainesway Farm.

Rivera-Rodrigues told a confidential informant details about the shooting that only someone who participated would know, Fayette County assistant commonwealth’s attorney Andrea Williams said in her closing argument.

Rivera-Rodriguez told the informant about a gunfight that night involving multiple shooters; said the victim was shot in the face, which was true; and knew details about the caliber of guns used, Williams said.

“He knew what guns were used because he was out there using one of those guns,” Williams told the jury.

Dominguez-Hernandez was killed because he was moving into the territory of Rivera-Rodrigues’ father-in-law, who was sent to prison for drug trafficking, Williams said.

But defense attorney Tucker Richardson said there were other people who wanted to harm Dominguez-Hernandez. Richardson argued that the prosecution was “grasping at straws” because there was no physical evidence to tie Rivera-Rodriguez to the death.

“The bottom line is they don’t know who, they don’t know when, they don’t know where, and they don’t know why,” Richardson said.

The jury began deliberations shortly after 6 p.m. They were instructed to consider a range of possible offenses, including intentional murder, wanton murder, second-degree manslaughter and eight other offenses.

The defense acknowledged in closing arguments that Rivera-Rodriguez is guilty of four counts of trafficking in cocaine.

The jury recommended a prison sentence of 25 years on complicity to murder, according to Richardson, as well as 10 years each for the four trafficking counts. The sentences would run concurrently. If the sentence is approved by the judge, it will be 20 years until Rivera-Rodriguez is eligible for parole.

The sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 9.

This story was originally published December 22, 2017 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Jury returns guilty verdicts in 2015 slaying near Gainesway Farm."