Son warns suspected killer may 'get away with murder' after conviction tossed in mom's execution-style slaying

A Wisconsin household is reeling aft a justice vacated the condemnation of a antheral antecedently recovered blameworthy successful the once-cold lawsuit of a parent killed successful an execution-style shooting.

Miguel Cruz was sentenced to beingness successful situation successful 2021 stemming from the sidesplitting of Juanita Zdroik, 39, successful Racine County successful 2000. 

The lawsuit began connected Feb. 7, 2000, erstwhile the parent of 3 was hauled to a agrarian road and changeable execution-style aft witnessing a treble homicide successful Milwaukee. 

Authorities launched a hopeless hunt for her killer, but the lawsuit yet ran acold until a fishy – identified arsenic Cruz – was arrested successful 2017.

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Juanita Zdroik poses for a photograph with 2 of her children. (Zach Zdroik)

"One time I got a telephone portion astatine work, and they said they caught my mother's murderer," Zach Zdroik, Juanita’s lad who was 13 years aged astatine the clip of her death, told Fox News Digital. 

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"I felt utmost alleviation that the antheral liable for my mother's murder, and yet for a beingness of symptom for my sister and I, is yet wherever helium belongs," Zdroik added. "It was precise fulfilling for us."

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Miguel Cruz was sentenced to beingness successful situation successful 2021 for the 2000 sidesplitting of Juanita Zdroik successful Racine County, Wis. (Racine County Sheriff’s Office)

However, aft filing an entreaty surrounding the credibility of DNA and a broader probe into the members of the sheriff’s office’s conduct, Cruz was granted a caller proceedings earlier this week. 

"It was evidently heartbreaking, knowing that we person to woody with this again," Zdroik said. "We've been precise knowing passim this full process that has been years with the region and the ineligible system, truthful the information that we saw the strategy itself neglect america arsenic a household was beauteous disheartening."

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Despite Cruz yet winning his accidental astatine appeal, the charges against him person not been dismissed – mounting the signifier for a 2nd proceedings or, according to Zdroik, a imaginable plea deal. 

Juanita Zdroik poses for a photograph with her son, Zach. Zach was 13 years aged erstwhile his parent was killed successful Racine County, Wis., connected Feb. 7, 2000. (Racine County Sheriff's Office)

"Our dependable doesn't substance to the region oregon authorities astatine this point," Zdroik told Fox News Digital. "Like, what are we doing here? A antheral that was proven to beryllium there, aggregate eyewitnesses saw him determination and they testified against him, present that that is nary bully owed to a corrupt history. But he's gonna get disconnected present and unrecorded a beingness that my parent wasn’t capable to live. I mean, does that look fair?"

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Zdroik added that officials person told him Cruz’s imaginable plea woody could effect successful a 10-year situation sentence, which holds the imaginable of Cruz being released aft conscionable six months down bars. 

Juanita Zdroik was murdered successful an execution-style shooting aft witnessing a treble homicide successful Racine County, Wis., connected Feb. 7, 2000. (Courtesy of Zach Zdroik)

"Who knows what is possible, I mean, I cognize this execution took spot years ago," Zdroik said. "I don't cognize if he's done thing other successful betwixt present and past that helium was arrested for, oregon adjacent not arrested for, to get distant with murder, truthful who knows."

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However, nary plea woody has been officially offered oregon agreed upon, according to Zdroik. 

The ordeal has been particularly taxing connected Zdroik and his family, including his 2 sisters and children.

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"[My mom] was the 1 idiosyncratic successful this satellite that I knew ever loved me," Zdroik told Fox News Digital. "I’ve ne'er had that emotion ever successful my life, and I don’t deliberation I’ll ever person it again. My parent was my world." 

"We've each had to struggle," Zdroik added. "And unrecorded our lives successful acheronian and sadness due to the fact that of this."

The Racine County Sheriff's Office, Racine County District Attorney's Office and Cruz's lawyer did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.