Big Spring Herald - Autopsies ordered on shooting victims

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November 2008

Autopsies ordered on shooting victims


By THOMAS JENKINS Staff Writer The bodies of two Big Spring residents — one an expectant mother — have been sent to Lubbock for autopsies, according to local law enforcement officials, as the investigation into the double homicide that rocked the city of Big Spring Sunday night continues. Valerie Garcia, 20, and Michael Cardona, 21, both of Big Spring, were pronounced dead at Scenic Mountain Medical Center shortly after a shooting was reported at 905 E. 16th Street at approximately 9:38 p.m. Sunday According to police reports, Garcia was pregnant at the time of her death. “The bodies have been sent to Lubbock for autopsies,” said Sgt. Tony Everett, public information officer with the Big Spring Police Department. “There really isn't much more than that to report at this time. No arrests have been made and right now we don't have any particular suspects were looking at. This one is going to take a little while.” Also injured in the shooting were an unidentified 3-year-old girl, 19-year-old Phiilp Martinez, 21-year-old Daniel Rios and 21-year-old David Rios. According to Everett, the 3-year-old suffered a leg wound in the shooting and was treated at the emergency room at Scenic Mountain Medical Center and released. According to police reports, the other three victims also suffered non life-threatening injuries and were treated and released. A call to Covenant Hospital in Lubbock this morning, however, revealed Daniel Rios is currently in the facility's intensive care unit and is listed in fair condition. According to Covenant officials, Rios was listed in serious condition when he was admitted to the hospital Sunday night. Everett said witnesses described a dark colored Ford pickup speeding away from the scene of the shooting. “This cowardly shooting is gang related. Witnesses all agree that a dark color Ford pickup was involved and there is more than one suspect involved,” said Everett. “Details are still sketchy at this time and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the police department at 264-2550 or Crimestoppers at 263-TIPS (8477).” Lt. Terry Chamness, acting as spokesman for the BSPD the morning following the shooting, said the violence is the result of a dispute between a local family and a street gang. “This is all about drug territory,” said Chamness. “There's an ongoing dispute over drug territory between the Rios family and the Latin Kings, a local street gang. That's what's at the heart of this shooting.” Chamness confirmed several shots are believed to have come from the Ford pickup, but said it's currently unclear how many suspects were involved. “We're not sure yet how many people were in the pickup or how many were involved in the shooting,” said Chamness, who confirmed the police department is treating the crime as a capital murder. “We'll know more once we have the suspects in custody, but we are treating this as a capital homicide. In the end, however, it will be up to the district attorney what charges are brought against them.” Howard County District Attorney Hardy Wilkerson said his office will examine the evidence before deciding whether the shooting should be prosecuted as a capital murder. “It certainly appears to have the merits necessary for capital murder, but until the details of the investigation are turned over to us its hard to say for sure,” said Wilkerson. “Anything at this point would purely be speculation.” Contact Staff Writer Thomas Jenkins at 263-7331 ext. 232 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 May 2008 )

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Comments

As cititzens we must stand up and speak out through our fears if we want this activity to stop. Simply sitting back because we are afraid to talk will not help the situation at all. Witnesses must go forward and tell the truth. They must trust the law enforcement officers to protect them and the officers must protect them. If these suspects are not brought to justice this is only going to get worse. Innocent lives ar ebeing lost and innocent victims are suffering....CHILDREN! Stop the violence Big Spring! Speak up and don't allow these suspects to increase the violence and continue to jeopardize our safety and well being. Hats off to our officers for putting their lives on the line each day and night as they fight to try to solve these difficult crimes. GOd bless you all. Believe me they are trying to end the violence! They are just as scared as we are for their families, their lives, and the lives of other families. Good Job BSPD on the recent arrests and narcotics work that is being done to clean up our streets!
Posted by Concerned citizen, on May 6, 2008 at 22:29

You know what I'm concerned about is the recent statememnts made by the PD in the local paper. Drug trafficing is at its highest point here, Why? the ineptness of our local leaders to show intrest in stopping it. We funded a golf course before we funed fighting drugs. The drug culture here is alot different than that from the city. The dealers here all get along, because most of them are family or grew up together. You don't have a territorial war as the PD has stated in recent articles. In the city is where dealer have territories and will murder to keep it. This dispute going on with a local family and street gang though terrible is not a drug war! I bring this up because the police here have no communtiy outreach to know this! They dont listen to all sections of the community. I know some really good officers, and I know some terrible ones. Crime will continue to spill over unil the police stop with the bulling and do some outreach and hire more minorities so the force is reflective of the community it suppose to represent. My prayers go out to recent victims of this tragedy.
Posted by Worried, on May 7, 2008 at 19:41

It is truly sad when the life of an inoccent child has to end before it even begins! A 3 year old injured? come on people look at what we are alowing to happen in our own back yard! If these killings are drug and teritorial related as they are belived to be, then the answer is simple, If there is no one to sell drugs to, then there is no bussiness to fight over teritory and drugs. Some one is alowing these things to happen by purchasing the drugs that continue to suport these gangs, and feeding the riveal between them,
We as a people need to stand up for ourselves and our children, Big Spring use to be a safe place, lets make it that way again. Our local PD needs our help, to stop the drug trafficing. They need witnesses to come forward, I know that the Killer(S) of this little baby and its family members can be brought to justice if we as a comunity work together. We can also as a comunity rise above these dark times, and reclaim our town as safe, by not suporting these drug dealers, and by helping our local drug Officers by reporting these kinds of activities! come on Big Spring, if not for yourself do it for the safty of the children!! after all they are our future!!!
Posted by shawnna, on May 7, 2008 at 21:52

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