GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) – Hall county authorities Wednesday formally charged Herbey Portillo, 24, with first degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. Grand Island police arrested Portillo Tuesday for the New Year’s morning murder of Trevor Sok.
Portillo is scheduled to appear in Hall county court Thursday. If convicted on the murder charge he could get live in prison.
About the arrest Tuesday, GIPD said, “He was located hiding in a garage on East 10th street in Grand Island. He offered no resistance.” Before the arrest, GIPD said that Portillo might be armed with a semi-automatic hand gun.
An autopsy was ordered on Sok’s body, but the results of that autopsy are unknown.
GIPD said the shooting happened at 1303 W. Charles St. around 3:45 a.m. New Year’s Day.
Emergency personnel responded and found Sok, 19, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported by ambulance to the CHI Health St. Francis Emergency Room where he died from his injuries.
Sok was a 2017 graduate of Giltner Public Schools.
The school’s social media pages sent out a message Monday announcing the death of their former student. They said funeral arrangements are not known at this time. The school did open up for a few hours Monday evening with a crisis team available.
Grand Island Mayor Jeremy Jensen is also responding to the death of Trevor Sok. He posted on his official Facebook page about receiving the report of what he says is a “senseless tragedy.” He said he didn’t know the Sok family or Trevor, but he knows that the teen didn’t deserve the hand he was dealt.
Mayor Jensen is asking the community to keep Trevor’s friends, family and the Giltner community in your thoughts and prayers.
You can read the full message below.