Man gets 10 years in killing of 14-year-old Virginia boy

A Virginia man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday – far less than the life sentence he faced at trial last year – for the death of a 14-year-old boy.

Ismael Cruz-Delcid was 18 when he shot and killed Michai Malave in a hotel parking lot in Herndon in March 2024.

Michai was shot after he got off the school bus with a friend. The shooter left the scene and hid the gun but turned himself in the next day.

Prosecutors asked a jury to find Cruz-Delcid guilty of first-degree murder. Michai’s family wanted Cruz-Delcid sentenced to life in prison.

During last year’s trial, Cruz-Delcid’s defense attorney told a jury his client believed Michai was affiliated with a gang. Cruz-Delcid was in his car alone that day and, according to testimony, when Michai and a friend got off of the school bus, Cruz-Delcid got out of his car and confronted Michai. A fight quickly ended with gunfire.

Cruz-Delcid argued he shot Michai in self-defense. Michai was unarmed.

That trial ultimately ended with a hung jury. Prosecutors intended to retry the case but told the court Friday they had a witness who wouldn’t be able to testify at the trial, so prosecutors and the family felt it would be too risky to move forward without that witness.

“We kinda had to get ahead of it and offer this deal,” said Michai’s mother, Jenna Malave. “I wasn’t happy about it, but there was no part of me that can sit in a courtroom, and they have to drop the charges.”

Cruz-Delcid got a plea agreement and 10 years, instead.

“Well, Ismael should be facing life, we all know that, but I’ve made peace with it,” Malave said.

Michai’s father testified Friday at sentencing, telling the court his son was his best friend and that he will never be the same again.

Michai’s mother told the court that while she’s made peace with the result of the case, forgiveness is not part of the narrative today.

“I’m just ready for me and my daughter to be able to move on and try to heal without getting that Band-Aid ripped off again every few months,” she said.