Mesa police: Arrest made in killings after text-message tip

by John Genovese and Jim Walsh - Jul. 1, 2011 05:43 PM
The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News Team

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The suspect in the slaying of two men in Mesa told detectives he had been plotting to kill one of the victims for two months and that he shot the other man, an Arizona State University student, because he could identify him, court documents state.

A text message from the cell phone belonging to one of the victims led police Thursday to arrest Jesus Antonio Busso-Estopellan, 21,of Mesa, on suspicion of two counts of first degree murder after he admitted setting up a meeting with victim Olek Wladyszewski in an east Mesa neighborhood.

Busso-Estopellan said that when Wladyszewski, 19, and passenger Tyler Webster, 18,arrived around 1 a.m. Wednesday, he walked up to their vehicle and shot them, police said.

Police said Busso-Estopellan told them he had been plotting Wladyszewski's slaying after a marijuana deal fell apart.

The suspect told detectives he had brokered the deal between Wladyszewski and an unidentified Jamaican man in Phoenix. The victim apparently would be selling marijuana to the Jamaican, court records state.

"The Jamaican did not honor the repayment terms and when confronted threatened (Busso-Estopellan) and (Busso-Estopellan's) family," a detective wrote in a sworn statement. The suspect met with Wladyszewski twice to provide him with unidentified pills, records state.

During the first meeting, police said, Busso-Estopellan was surprised to see Wladyszewski arrive in a vehicle with Webster, so he cancelled the deal. Later, he contacted Wladyszewski again and told the victim to meet him near 10000 Farmdale Avenue, Mesa.

According to court documents, Busso-Estopellan parked his car on a nearby street and walked to meet Wladyszewski. When the victim asked about the pills, Busso-Estopellan shot him once and Webster at least twice as they sat in Webster's car, police said.

The suspect drove past the victims' car as he left to make sure both men were dead, police said.
Busso-Estopellan has a history of drug arrests in 2009 and 2010 but no prior history of violent crimes, according to court records.

In January 2010, he pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana. He was discharged from probation Dec. 17, 2010.

Busso-Estopellan was also charged in a complaint on April 29 with driving under the influence of drugs, a marijuana violation and a drug paraphernalia violation, court records state.

Court records show he was in the country illegally and was awaiting deportation.

Officers found several shell casings and a bag containing 79 pills beneath the passenger floor mat of Webster's vehicle.

Both victims had previous run-ins with police, court records show.

Documents obtained by The Republic show ASU police executed a search warrant on Webster's apartment in April and found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Webster's room, but there is no record of charges ever being filed. Wladyszewski was arrested in May after police discovered marijuana, cocaine, and a semi-automatic pistol in his car. He was scheduled to have a preliminary court hearing on the possession charges July 8.

Webster was a biochemistry student at Arizona State University. He graduated from Red Mountain High School in spring 2010.

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