Valerie Garcia, 20, and Michael Cardona, 21, 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. Several others were injured in the drive-by shooting, including a 3-year-old girl.

Since that time, James Cole, 18, of Lamesa, and Earnesto Trevino, 25, of Lubbock, have been taken into custody as a result of the investigation.

Trevino, who was arrested May 15, was charged with deadly conduct – discharge of a firearm for his alleged part in a shooting on Big Spring's west side the day before the murders. Cole, who was taken into custody approximately two weeks ago in Levelland, is facing the same charge, but stemming from the fatal shooting.

Sgt. Tony Everett, public information officer with the BSPD, said Trevino has not yet been charged in connection with the attack that took the lives of Garcia and Cardona, but alleges the investigation has been able to establish Cole was one of the gunmen believed to have attacked the 16th Street residence.

“The investigation is moving forward, just slowly,” said Everett.

Everett said it has been confirmed that Garcia, who was believed to have been pregnant at the time of the shooting, was in fact six to seven months along at the time of her death.

Whether or not the shooting would be treated as a double or triple homicide at this time is unclear, however, according to Everett.

“The baby and the mother both died as a result of the shooting,” said Everett. “We're working with the district attorney on this matter because, in the end, it will be his call as to how to treat the death of the unborn child. There are a lot of different things to consider in the matter.”

Everett confirmed Cole is a member of the Latin Kings street gang and maintains the May 4 shooting —  along with a slew of other shootings currently being investigated — are all connected to a drug turf dispute between a Big Spring family and the Latin Kings.

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 shortly after the investigation began. “Anything at this point would purely be speculation.”

Anyone with information regarding the murder investigation 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