Gang member gets 70 years in DePaul student’s killing

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Joy McCormack, the mother of Francisco "Frankie" Valencia is hugged by her partner Siu Moy outside Criminal Courts, 26th & California Thursday, June 2, 2011. Frankie's convicted killer, Berly Valladares, was sentenced in the 2009 murder. | Rich Hein~Sun-Times

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Updated: September 29, 2011 12:28AM

Francisco “Frankie” Valencia Jr. was his family’s “Superman,” a promising young leader with a “big cheesy” gapped tooth grin and a weakness for chocolate chip cookies and Corona beer.

The gifted DePaul University senior, who dreamed of running for office so he could serve as a voice for Latino youth, was set to receive another award to add to his collection when he was gunned down at a Halloween party in Logan Square nearly two years ago.

Valencia’s family buried him the same day the governor was to present him with the Lincoln Laureate Award.

“It’s a very sad irony for us that the murderers who took our Superman were the very demographic of people Frankie cared about creating change for,” Valencia’s mother, Joy McCormack, said through tears Thursday.

The mother spoke as Berly Valladares, a self-admitted Maniac Latin Disciple, was sentenced to 70 years in prison for murdering Valencia and shooting and wounding Valencia’s friend, also a DePaul student, at the party in the 1700 block of North Rockwell.

Valladares’ attorney, Sam Adam Jr., told Cook County Judge Matthew Coghlan that the 22-year-old made a “stupid” and “thoughtless” mistake when he handed a semiautomatic weapon to Narcisco Gatica, who allegedly opened fire at the party because he and other gang members were asked to leave the gathering earlier that night. Valladares’ sister also pleaded with Coghlan for a lenient sentence, calling her brother a “good” man.

“I’m sure he’s a good brother and father to those close to him but I also think he’s a danger to society,” Coghlan said before imposing the lengthy prison term.

“Good men don’t sell guns. . . .I called him a monster and I meant it,” McCormack said outside the courtroom, flanked by her younger son, Victor, her partner, Siu Moy, and Valencia’s father, Francisco Sr.

In court, McCormack said she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after losing her eldest son, who spent time in Colombia helping abandoned children, and personally reached out to 40,000 voters during Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Obama sent a condolence letter to the 21-year-old political science major’s family, “commenting upon the values he and Frankie shared,” McCormack said.

Victor Valencia said his older brother would give him relationship advice, send him texts with “simple messages” but profound meanings, and encouraged him with “Hakuna Matata, it means no worries,” whenever he was feeling down.

“Never did it cross my mind that I would end up living most of my life without him,” his 19-year-old brother said.

Coghlan’s courtroom was packed with Valencia’s relatives and friends, who wore dog tags with Valencia’s picture and black t-shirts bearing his trademark quote: “We are the future. How will you make it better? How will you be remembered?”

Daisy Camacho, who was with Valencia when he was slain, knew firsthand how Valencia planned to change the status quo. Valencia had told her as they prepared for a study abroad trip to Spain, “‘I’m going to change this city’s politics,’” said Camacho, who was also shot and has since struggled to tell Valencia’s family how she feels.

“I have been angry, hurt, sad and guilty,” she said. “I will never be able to feel what she [McCormack] feels. Acknowledging my pain enigmatically floods my heart with guilt. Besides inevitably feeling like this is my fault, I can’t manage to think that I am stupid for being sad. . . .Immediately my thoughts of guilt inundate my mind and heart, telling me: ‘Your pain is nothing — incomparable to what she feels.’”

Gatica, 21, is awaiting trial.