Published: Thursday, August 19, 2010
Drug deal blamed in Everett slaying
One of two suspects is arrested on Wednesday.
EVERETT -- A heroin deal gone bad is being blamed in an Aug. 13 shooting death at a south Everett apartment complex.
Alonzo "Ocho" Lopez-Gonzalez was shot in the back after he was either pushed off a second-story balcony or jumped to escape his attackers, police wrote in court papers filed Wednesday.
One of two suspects was arrested early Wednesday morning on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.
Matalepuna Malu, 22, of Everett, was booked into the Snohomish County jail. He was arrested without incident while helping load a U-Haul truck, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said. His bail was set at $2 million during a brief court appearance.
Police were still searching for the second suspect on Wednesday.
The pair is accused of kicking open a door at the Bluffs Apartments on West Casino Road near Evergreen Way before beating and shooting Lopez-Gonzalez. The victim was in his mid-20s.
Hours before the shooting, one of the suspects was overheard saying he was going to rob Lopez-Gonzalez, court paper said. Witnesses told police that Lopez-Gonzalez was a heroin dealer who carried around large amounts of money, up to $10,000 at a time.
Police allege Malu, whose street name is "June Bug," and the other suspect attempted to conceal their identities beneath ski masks when they raided the apartment. They confronted Lopez-Gonzalez, accusing him of selling Malu "bad dope" a few hours earlier, according to court papers.
They said the heroin was "bunk," meaning that it was either fake or no good.
They demanded their money back and forced him to open a closet where he kept a safe full of cash, court papers said.
After the safe was open, they allegedly dragged Lopez-Gonzalez onto the apartment balcony.
"At that time, they either pushed (him) off of the second-story terrace or he jumped in an effort to escape," police wrote in court papers.
While Lopez-Gonzalez was on the ground below, one of the two suspects fired a single shot from a .40-caliber handgun, police wrote.
Goetz said Wednesday he didn't know which of the suspects was accused of pulling the trigger.
The bullet pierced Lopez-Gonzalez's back and passed through his heart. He was able to run about 200 feet before collapsing.
Lopez-Gonzalez wasn't the only person at the apartment to be attacked, police said.
A man lying on a couch was hit over the head with a semi-automatic handgun before the assailants realized he wasn't Lopez-Gonzalez, police said. They threw a blanket over the man's head and allegedly told him to be quiet or he would be killed.
After Lopez-Gonzalez was shot, the other man took refuge in a bedroom with another man, that man's wife and the couple's 4-year-old grandson. They barricaded themselves in the room.
The suspects fled with the safe, driving away in a car that belonged to one of Malu's friends, court papers said.
Police searched in Marysville for the second suspect Wednesday, Goetz said.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
Alonzo "Ocho" Lopez-Gonzalez was shot in the back after he was either pushed off a second-story balcony or jumped to escape his attackers, police wrote in court papers filed Wednesday.
One of two suspects was arrested early Wednesday morning on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.
Matalepuna Malu, 22, of Everett, was booked into the Snohomish County jail. He was arrested without incident while helping load a U-Haul truck, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said. His bail was set at $2 million during a brief court appearance.
Police were still searching for the second suspect on Wednesday.
The pair is accused of kicking open a door at the Bluffs Apartments on West Casino Road near Evergreen Way before beating and shooting Lopez-Gonzalez. The victim was in his mid-20s.
Hours before the shooting, one of the suspects was overheard saying he was going to rob Lopez-Gonzalez, court paper said. Witnesses told police that Lopez-Gonzalez was a heroin dealer who carried around large amounts of money, up to $10,000 at a time.
Police allege Malu, whose street name is "June Bug," and the other suspect attempted to conceal their identities beneath ski masks when they raided the apartment. They confronted Lopez-Gonzalez, accusing him of selling Malu "bad dope" a few hours earlier, according to court papers.
They said the heroin was "bunk," meaning that it was either fake or no good.
They demanded their money back and forced him to open a closet where he kept a safe full of cash, court papers said.
After the safe was open, they allegedly dragged Lopez-Gonzalez onto the apartment balcony.
"At that time, they either pushed (him) off of the second-story terrace or he jumped in an effort to escape," police wrote in court papers.
While Lopez-Gonzalez was on the ground below, one of the two suspects fired a single shot from a .40-caliber handgun, police wrote.
Goetz said Wednesday he didn't know which of the suspects was accused of pulling the trigger.
The bullet pierced Lopez-Gonzalez's back and passed through his heart. He was able to run about 200 feet before collapsing.
Lopez-Gonzalez wasn't the only person at the apartment to be attacked, police said.
A man lying on a couch was hit over the head with a semi-automatic handgun before the assailants realized he wasn't Lopez-Gonzalez, police said. They threw a blanket over the man's head and allegedly told him to be quiet or he would be killed.
After Lopez-Gonzalez was shot, the other man took refuge in a bedroom with another man, that man's wife and the couple's 4-year-old grandson. They barricaded themselves in the room.
The suspects fled with the safe, driving away in a car that belonged to one of Malu's friends, court papers said.
Police searched in Marysville for the second suspect Wednesday, Goetz said.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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