Police arrested a fourth suspect in connection with last year’s
gang-related shooting death of a teenager just blocks away from the
Gilroy Police Department.
Police arrested a fourth suspect in connection with last year’s gang-related shooting death of a teenager just blocks away from the Gilroy Police Department.
Robert Barrios, 20, is currently in police custody after being arrested in Porterville, a town about 70 miles south of Fresno off Highway 99, on a outstanding murder warrant. Police arrested Barrios today without incident and transported him to the Santa Clara County Jail.
Like two of his friends – Angel Solorzano, 19, and Heather Marie Ashford, 18 – Barrios fought on the same side as suspected Norteño gang member, Larry Martinez, 18, who died lying face up in the middle of Sixth Street after rival gang members shot him in the chest. The District Attorney’s Office charged the trio with murder for instigating a crime that provoked Martinez’s death ssing a rarely invoked rule – the provocative act murder theory. The District Attorney’s office also charged the three men who allegedly attacked Martinez.
The charges stem from a gang shooting that took place 1:20 p.m. Nov. 11, 2008, when three Sureño gang members shot Martinez in the chest after Martinez – brandishing a baseball bat – Solorzano and Barrios approached the group from behind, according to court documents. When the Sureños produced two handguns and opened fire, Solorzano and Barrios escaped in a waiting car, driven by Ashford. Martinez died at the scene.
Police arrested Solorzano and Ashford June 8 on murder warrants and captured suspected Sureño Cristian Jimenez, 21, June 4 during a sweep with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Suspected Sureño Edgardo Centeno, 19, is still outstanding and has a warrant out for his arrest. A third juvenile suspect is also outstanding.
Half an hour before the shooting, the same three Sureño gang members threw a rock at the car Martinez and Solorzano rode in with Ashford at the wheel, according to witness reports. After a brief discussion, Ashford, Martinez and Solorzano picked up Barrios and returned to confront the Sureños.
“Gathering additional persons to even up the odds and sneaking up on rival gang members armed with a weapon undoubtedly results in a high probability of provoking a deadly response,” District Attorney Dolores Carr said. “So we can’t be surprised that someone was killed that day.”
Although Ashford stayed in the car, she faces murder and conspiracy charges, both felonies. Solorzano and Barrios face identical charges in connection with the death of their friend.
In police interviews, Solorzano and Barrios admitted to being at the scene of the shooting with the intent to fight the Sureños who threw the rock, police said. Ashford admitted to driving the three men – Martinez, Solorzano and Barrios – knowing they intended to fight, according to court documents.
The foursome will appear in court 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Department 109 at the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill for a plea hearing.
