Suspect in 2001 killing arrested in San Diego - June 6, 2003

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2003-06-11

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SUNNY Temp: 81 °F Wind: N at 14 mph Tuesday, June 10, 2003   SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries   Life   Opinion - Politics   AP News   Weather   Classified   Archives   Site Map   EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone   Wellness Connection   Real Estate   Newspaper in Education   Prime Times   Outdoor Journal   Personals   Movie Times   TV Times   E The People   CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything  E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities   Entertainment   Publications   Recreation   Calendar   ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend June 6, 2003 Suspect in 2001 killing arrested in San Diego A man suspected of killing a Phoenix teenager in September 2001 was arrested Thursday in San Diego and his wife was taken into custody in Medford. U.S. Marshals in California arrested Miguel "Angel" Avendano Velazquez, 19, when he attempted to enter the United States from Tijuana, Mexico, said Jackson County sheriff’s Capt. Joe Puckett. Investigators believe Velazquez and another man, Gerardo Martinez Galvan, 24, killed Victor Joel Cruz, 18, who was found shot to death Sept. 23, 2001. Cruz’s body was discovered in his family’s green Ford Probe, which was parked on a dirt road off the 3600 block of Old Military Road in Central Point. Galvan, who fled to his native Mexico immediately after the murder, returned to Medford in December 2002 and sheriff’s deputies arrested him Dec. 12, Puckett said. He remains at the Jackson County Jail awaiting trial, which is set for September in Jackson County Circuit Court. Velazquez, who also is a Mexican citizen, fled to Tijuana shortly after Galvan was arrested, Puckett said. A Jackson County grand jury indicted the two Dec. 19. Advertisement A multi-agency investigation learned that Velazquez was living in Tijuana, Puckett said. Authorities arrested him about 7 a.m. Thursday as he attempted to re-enter the U.S. illegally. He initially gave a false name, but fingerprinting confirmed his true identity, Puckett said. He was lodged in the San Diego County Jail, where he remains pending an extradition hearing. About 11 a.m. detectives from the Jackson County sheriff’s department and Medford police arrested Velazquez’s wife, Yvonne Torres, 23, on a material witness warrant at home in the 200 block of Chestnut Street, Medford. She was dating Velazquez at the time of the murder and they had since married, Puckett said. The investigation also included the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and the Oregon Department of Justice. Anyone with information about the case can call sheriff’s Detective Colin Fagan at (541) 774-6815. Printer Friendly Version   Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives  |  Site Map   E Southern Oregon  | Classified   Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times