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Tacoma killings-FBI increases reward for man wanted
 
By:
Thu, 18 May 2017   ||   Nigeria,
 

 

 

The FBI has increased its reward to $20,000 for a man charged in two Tacoma killings in 2010.

Santiago Mederos, 25, is wanted in connection with the shooting deaths of Camille Love, 20, on Feb. 7, 2010, and Jose Lucas, 25, on March 25, 2010.

Authorities believe Mederos fled to Mexico after the second killing.

In Love’s killing, Mederos is charged in Pierce County Superior Court with first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

Mederos told others he was involved in Love’s shooting, Pierce County prosecutors alleged, saying he shot Love’s brother, Josh, who survived the incident.

Mederos and fellow gang members shot up Love’s car from a stolen van, prosecutors said, mistakenly targeting it as retribution for a shooting two days prior.

He was one of seven people charged in the incident. Five of them pleaded guilty in February 2012 and received prison terms from 12 to 75 years. Mederos and fellow suspect Richard Sanchez are still at large.

In Lucas’ death, Mederos faces one count of second-degree murder.

Mederos and three others went to a home in the 7000 block of South Puget Sound Street and ransacked a car because someone owed their gang money, prosecutors said.

Three men there came from the home and started a fight with them, prosecutors said, and Mederos’ side was losing, so they ran to their car and left.

As they were leaving, Mederos fired his gun once, hitting Lucas and mortally wounding him.

He was one of five people charged in the case. Byron Alvarez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case, getting more than 16 years in prison. Alvarez’s wife, Leah, pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, receiving a 16-month prison sentence. Suspects Andres Mendez and Richard Sanchez, both charged with second-degree murder, are also still at large.

Mederos is 5-foot-10 with black hair and brown eyes, and was about 140 pounds at the time of the shootings.

Anyone with information about Mederos’ whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI’s Seattle office at 206-262-0460.

 

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