“This is an ongoing investigation, so there's not really a lot I can tell you at this point,” said Lt. Terry Chamness, speaking for the Big Spring Police Department. “We are actively looking for suspects at this time, and there are people of interest that we have brought in and questioned. However, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting at this time.”

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 St. at 9:38 p.m. Sunday, May 4. According to police reports, Garcia was pregnant at the time of her death.

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 and was treated at the emergency room at Scenic Mountain Medical Center and released.

According to police investigators, a dark-colored Ford pickup was seen leaving the scene of the shooting.

Earnesto Trevino, 24, of Lubbock was arrested late Thursday night by law enforcement officials in the eastern portion of Midland and charged with deadly conduct - discharge of a firearm for his alleged involvement in a May 3 shooting near Cantu Hydraulics, according to police officials. No one was injured in the May 3 shooting.

Trevino — along with James Cole, 18, of Lamesa — were identified by law enforcement officials last week as “persons of interest” in the case.

Cole — who answers to the nickname “Blitz” — is described as a white male, 5 feet, 8 inches in height and weighing 140 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes and a “Blitz” tattoo on his neck, and is still being sought for questioning in the case, according to Chamness.

Chamness said its unclear at this time when an arrest may be made in the double-homicide.

“I simply can't speculate on that,” said Chamness.

In the meantime, however, Chamness said the number of reports of deadly conduct/discharge of a firearm in the city have fallen over the past couple of weeks, a welcome reprieve to the recent onslaught of reports received since the beginning of 2008.

“It's hard to say why the number of shootings has slowed down,” said Chamness. “I suppose the most reasonable idea is the two factions — the Latin Kings and the members of the Rios family — are not making themselves as available to one another as in the past. In the end, however, that's really just a guess out of the blue. There's no way to tell at this point.”

Chamness said the May 4 shooting — along with a slew of other shootings currently being investigated — are all connected to a dispute over drug turf.

“This is all about drug territory,” said Chamness. “There's an ongoing dispute over drug territory between the Rios family and the Latin Kings. That's what's at the heart of these shootings.”

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.”

Anyone with information regarding the murder investigation or the whereabouts of Cole is encouraged to contact the Big Spring Police Department at 264-2550 or Big Spring Area Crimestoppers at 263-TIPS (8477) or 264-TIPS (8477).

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