2023 Grafton homicide, man found guilty at trial

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Miguel Aponte

GRAFTON, Wis. - An Ozaukee County jury on Tuesday convicted a man of killing Laeng Sanavongsay, whose body was found in a rental car in the town of Grafton more than two years ago.

In court:

Court records show 34-year-old Miguel Aponte was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and felony bail jumping. The jury acquitted him of one charge, mutilating a corpse. Prosecutors dismissed a charge of false imprisonment.

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Aponte is scheduled to be sentenced in March.

Body found in Grafton | March 2023

The backstory:

The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office said Sanavongsay, a 49-year-old man believed to be from Texas, was shot to death. He was found in a rental car on the side of County Highway C near Tallgrass Drive in the town of Grafton.

Abandoned car on County Highway C, Grafton

Court documents said a deputy found Sanavongsay's body in the back seat of the car. The victim had tape over his mouth, binding marks on his wrists and a bullet in his head.

An investigation revealed the inside of the car was on fire for a short time. According to the sheriff's office, the victim had no ties to Ozaukee County. The car had been rented out of Illinois.

Homicide investigation

Dig deeper:

Nearly seven months after Sanavongsay's body was found, prosecutors charged Aponte after DNA matches were found in the rental car.

Investigators also used data from the car and Sanavongsay’s cellphone to track the victim's movements the day before he was found dead, from O'Hare in Chicago to an area near I-43 and Capitol. Prosecutors said the victim's phone was also placed in an area consistent with where Aponte lived.

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