Arizona man Christopher Rey Licon shot brother in drug dispute then killed nephew

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Christopher Rey Licon, 24, shot dead his brother and his brother's son
He killed his 6-year-old nephew because he feared the child would 'snitch'
Xavier Jaquez was kidnapped, driven to an alleyway and shot in the head
Cleaners found the child, still in his school uniform, dead in a pool of blood

Published: 15:38 EST, 14 September 2015 | Updated: 05:17 EST, 15 September 2015

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Christopher Rey Licon, 24, could yet be sentenced to death himself for the killing of his brother and nephew

A jury has convicted a man of murder for shooting his brother in the head over a drug dispute, and then kidnapping and gunning down his 6-year-old nephew who witnessed the death.

Fearing six-year-old Xavier Jaquez would 'snitch' on him for shooting his father, Christopher Rey Licon kidnapped the child and drove to an alley 20miles away, then shot him dead.

The boy, shot in the back of the head and surrounded by a pool of blood, was still wearing his school uniform and had a Burger King kid's meal nearby when his body was found.

Jurors yesterday rejected Licon's insanity defense and will now determine if he will be sentenced to death or life in prison for the December 2010 killing.

The jury deliberated for more than seven days before finding the 24-year-old guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping in Xavier's death.

Jurors convicted him of second-degree murder in the death of his half-brother, Angel Jaquez.

He faces 16 to 25 years in prison in Angel Jaquez's death. The trial's sentencing phase begins today.

Licon shot Angel Jaquez in the back of the head as Jaquez watched TV at their Phoenix townhome, then kidnapped the child.

He was accused of killing his nephew out of fear that the child would snitch on him because the boy heard or saw his father die.

Licon, who provided an alibi to investigators, did not testify at his trial.

His attorney, James Wilson, told jurors that his client was in the throes of a psychotic episode on the day of the deaths. Wilson said Licon had lost weight, experienced hallucinations and became detached and uncommunicative around the time of the killings.

Prosecutor Laura Reckart had argued Licon hadn't proven that he suffered from a mental disease that would have prevented him from understanding that his actions were wrong.

She said Licon was well aware of his actions when he carried out the killings and took steps to protect himself, such as breaking into an apartment where a handgun used in the crimes was stashed.

Licon shot Xavier Jaquez (right) after killing the boy's dad, Angel Jaquez (left), in Arizona

Authorities say a neighbor witnessed Licon dragging his nephew into a car that would be used to bring the child to the alley where he was killed.

Licon, then a construction management student at Arizona State University, told investigators that he was studying at a library in Tempe at the time that his half-brother was killed.

He said he came home to find his brother's body in the townhome.

But authorities say Licon's alibi collapsed quickly after they interview neighbors and gathered other evidence.

Authorities say two key pieces of evidence were found inside the car used to bring the boy to the alley: a 9 mm bullet casing that matched a casing found at Jaquez's home and a toy from the Burger King kid's meal.

Prosecutors say Licon was in an illegal drug business with his half-brother and had acknowledged selling drugs in the months before both deaths.