People v. Ruiz

The defendant, Luis Ruiz, appeals from an order of the circuit court of Cook County dismissing, without an evidentiary hearing, his petitions for post-conviction relief. Because the defendant was sentenced to death for the underlying murder convictions, the present appeal lies directly to this court. 107 Ill. 2d R. 651(a).

The defendant’s convictions stem from his participation in the murders of three youths, Michael Salcido, Arthur Salcido, and Frank Mussa. The victims’ bodies were discovered in a car early in the morning on February 25, 1979. According to the evidence presented at the…