CARMICHAEL, Calif. — Two years after the death of a 17-year-old, his family is still waiting for justice. Tony Rocha was shot and killed at a Carmichael party in May 2022.
His family marched through the streets of Sacramento Thursday afternoon, calling for justice as they made their way to the Sacramento County Juvenile Courthouse.
Rocha's mother, Victoria Fochetti-Murray, told ABC10 Thursday afternoon she gave the court a victim impact statement in the case
"We need accountability for his actions, it was murder. It shouldn't matter what age," she said, regarding the suspected killer.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office told ABC10 a 17-year-old suspect was arrested about two weeks after the shooting.
Now, more than two years later, the family is still pushing for justice.
"Every couple months for over two years, we have had to come back for hearing after hearing," Rocha’s mother said.
The family is calling for changes to Prop 57, a law passed in 2016 that requires juvenile court to consider a motion from a district attorney or other prosecuting officer before a juvenile can be prosecuted in a criminal court. Rocha’s family wants the suspect in his case to be tried as an adult.
"This is not going to stop until these kids are held accountable with real repercussions," Rocha’s mother said.
The family gathered to pray and honor his life before court Thursday afternoon. Rocha was a football player at Mesa Verde High School who had aspirations of becoming a firefighter.
Anita Razo, the mother of 31-year-old DJ Gio, who was killed in an April 2022 shooting, was there to support the family.
"You don't just kill that person; you devastate an entire family. In my son's case, in Tony's case, an entire community," she said.
ABC10 reached out to Sacramento County courts for an update on the case, but they said they cannot provide any information since it involves a juvenile.
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