Saturday, November 07, 2009

3rd Suspect Arrested in Drive-By Shooting

By Jeff Proctor
Journal Staff Writer
          Bernalillo County sheriff's detectives on Friday arrested a third suspect in the drive-by shooting death of a 19-year-old South Valley man.
        Investigators had been searching for Roberto Gonzales, 17, since Oct. 30. They had been checking residences of Gonzales' known associates. They found him early Friday at a home in the South Valley.
        Gonzales was arrested without incident and booked into the Bernalillo County Detention Center on an open count of murder, aggravated assault, child abuse, shooting from a motor vehicle and conspiracy, sheriff's spokeswoman Erin Kinnard Thompson said.
        He is the alleged gunman in the possibly gang-related drive-by shooting death of John Valenzuela, Kinnard Thompson said.
        Deputies arrested Lorenzo Velarde, 17, after a short foot chase and charged him with an open count of murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse, shooting from a motor vehicle, conspiracy, accessory and aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer. His bond has been set at $500,000 cash or surety.
        Louie Velarde, 16, also was arrested after deputies found him hiding in some bushes in the West Gate area. He has been charged with resisting arrest and aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer.
        Gonzales, the Valeardes and one other male drove down the 2000 block of Cordelia SW in a white Toyota shortly before 3 p.m., according to a criminal complaint. Four other teenage males, including 19-year-old John Valenzuela, were tossing a football in the street.
        Gonzales said the four guys in the street were "haters," according to the complaint.
        "Let's get it," Gonzales said, according to the complaint.
        A few moments later, Valenzuela had been shot three times, authorities said. He ran into his family's home on Cordelia, and they called 911. Valenzuela was rushed to University of New Mexico Hospital, where he later died.
        "Detectives believe it's very possible the two groups knew each other," Kinnard Thompson said.
        The fourth male was questioned and released, Kinnard Thompson said.
        At the scene of the shooting on Cordelia SW, deputies found eight 9 mm Winchester bullet casings, according to the complaint.
        During a search of Gonzales' home Thursday evening, deputies found a box of 9 mm Winchester ammunition, according to the complaint.
       

You also can send comments via our comment form