In early 2014, a gruesome driveway shooting in Romeoville, Illinois was carried out by a boyfriend who just couldn’t let go. Survey Discovery’Forbidden: Dying for Love: A Mother’s Nightmare’ tells how teenager Briana Valle ended up murdered sometime after breaking up with her boyfriend, Erick Maya. The show focuses on how Briana met Erick and what prompted filming. So if you’re curious for more, we’ve got you covered.
How did Briana Valle die?
Briana Valle was born in July 1998 and first lived with her family in Little Village, Illinois before moving to Romeoville. She was known for her excellent fashion sense and enjoyed spending time with her friends and family. The 15-year-old was a freshman at the local high school and on his way to it when the attack happened. At around 6:50 a.m. on February 13, 2014, Briana and her mother, Alicia Guerrero, were in the car on their driveway, getting ready to go to school.
At that point, a hooded assailant walked over to Briana’s side and shot her in the head. Alicia was also shot in the neck as she begged the assailant not to shoot. The mother then alerted the neighbors by shouting and using the car alarm. People rushed to find Alicia bleeding and Briana unresponsive. They were both rushed to hospital, but unfortunately Briana was declared brain dead and died four days later.
Who Killed Briana Valle?
When Briana was 13, she met a guy online and started talking to him. At the time, she used her mother’s Facebook account for these conversations. The person was eventually identified as Erick Maya. According to the show, despite being in his early twenties, Erick initially lied to Briana about his age, claiming he was 16. The two started a relationship and in August 2012, Briana ran away from home to live with him.
A desperate search for Briana ended when her mother discovered the Facebook posts and finally tracked her down. Once Briana returned home, Alicia forbade her from speaking to Erick, who was much older than her. But they continued their relationship, with Erick even proposing to her at one point. To keep them apart, Alicia and her husband opted to move to Romeoville in October 2013, about 30 miles away.
The change of scenery seemed to work, with Briana making new friends and dating a boy closer to her age. However, Erick’s obsession with her has not gone away. He sent threatening messages, saying he would rape everyone in the family. One of Briana’s friends later said she received threatening messages on her phone since Briana sometimes used the device to talk to Erick.
The obsession took a fatal turn in February 2013, when Erick took a taxi to Romeoville in the morning and waited for Briana to leave the house. He then shot the mother and daughter. Erick was arrested hours later while hiding on someone’s porch a few blocks away. Additionally, one of Erick’s friends testified that a gun found in the area was the one he had given to Erick a few days prior. Then a roommate testified that Erick was angry about the breakup and talked about killing Briana.
Where is Erick Maya now?
Erick, then 24, stood trial in September 2014. A jury found him guilty of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault with a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon. In October 2014, Erick was sentenced to a total of 122 years in prison. Erick was also charged with sexually assaulting two other underage girls in February 2011 and was convicted of beating a 15-year-old girl in 2011. Jail records indicate Erick is still incarcerated at the correctional center of Pontiac in Livingston County, Illinois. With parole eligibility in 2131, Erick will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Read more: Where is Alicia Guerrero now?
