GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — A Gwinnett County jury reaches a guilty verdict in the execution-style murder of a 22-year-old man three years ago.

32-year-old Brian Sanchez Duarte was sentenced to life in prison plus five years without the possibility of parole.

22-year-old Alinton Joel Rivera-Zuniga was only wearing underwear when he was gunned down after taking a ride from Duarte on November 27, 2022.

Rivera-Zuniga was leaving the Alta Gama event hall in Norcross when he met Duarte and another man, Jose Caraballo-Mendez who were also at the event.

Caraballo-Mendez offered a ride to Rivera-Zuniga, but Duarte who was a passenger in the SUV, because agitated and distrustful of Rivera-Zuniga’s intentions for accepting the ride.

Caraballo-Mendez testified during the trial that Rivera-Zuniga was nervous and stripped down to his underwear to show that he was not a threat.

Security footage showed the SUV stopping on the road, Duarte getting out of the passenger seat and walking to the left side of the vehicle.

Caraballo-Mendez said that Duarte ordered the victim out of the SUV and then shot him point-blank, leaving Rivera-Zuniga dead in the road.

The jury took about two hours to reach the guilty verdict.

“This was a senseless death,” District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “This verdict and sentencing send a message that deadly violence is uncalled for. We hope the outcome of this case helps the victim’s family find solace.”

WSB Radio’s Ann Powell contributed to this story.