Thread: Deputies: Drive-by shooter in U.S. illegally

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readartic ... 370&z=3&p=

Deputies: Drive-by shooter in U.S. illegally

NBC2 News
Last updated on: 6/3/2006 8:07:39 AM

NAPLES: The suspected gunman in Tuesday night's fatal drive-by shooting in Immokalee is an illegal immigrant, according to deputies.

Immigration authorities have now placed a hold on Roberto Argueta, who is charged with murder and currently in jail with no bond.

The second suspect in the case, alleged driver Henry Mancha, appears to be in the country legally, deputies say.

He is also being held without bond.

Immokalee, Florida

Here's some more articles I ran across.


http://www.naplesnews.com

Prior argument blamed in fatal drive-by shooting
Daily News staff

Thursday, June 1, 2006

A drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of an Immokalee mother stemmed from a prior argument between the gunman and a man who was shot in the ankle, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities said the motive appeared to be retaliation for an argument involving Hector Ramirez Jr., 18, and Henry Mancha, 18, 1207 N. 19th Terrace, at Mancha’s home. Ramirez is recovering from a gunshot wound to the ankle.

The Tuesday shooting occurred about 8 p.m. at 1304 Peach St., where a group of people had gathered. The drive-by shooting killed Melinda Gonzalez, 30, who was married with four children.

Mancha and another man have been charged in connection with the incident. Both are documented street gang “associates,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Deputies said Roberto Carlos Argueta, Tara Park, No. 3, pulled the trigger. Mancha was the driver of a blue Cadillac used during the shooting, authorities said.

On Wednesday, Mancha's mother came to authorities with information that her son was driving the car involved in the shooting, the Sheriff’s Office said. She told officials her son was upset and wanted to talk to investigators.

Deputies traveled to her home in Labelle, where they found the blue 1991 Cadillac involved in the shooting, and talked to Mancha.

Mancha has been charged with murder, not premeditated, during a felony, and attempted felony murder with injury by another, authorities said.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were tipped off that a suspect in the shooting was in a car in Immokalee about 5 p.m. Wednesday. A deputy found the car on Roberts Avenue and the three men inside, including Argueta, were taken into custody for questioning.

Argueta matched the police bulletin issued earlier in the day. He was later arrested.

Argueta has been charged with premeditated murder for the death of Gonzalez. He has also been charged with attempted felony murder causing injury in connection with the shooting of Ramirez in the ankle, authorities said.



http://www.naplesnews.com

Suspect's mom led to drive-by arrests
Mother persuaded son to tell Collier deputies he drove car used in retaliation shooting that killed innocent bystander

By Ryan Mills

Friday, June 2, 2006

Collier County sheriff’s deputies were led to the two 18-year-olds allegedly involved in Tuesday’s fatal drive-by shooting in Immokalee after receiving information from the mother of one of the men.

Elvira Juarez, 42, the mother of Henry Mancha, arrived at the Immokalee substation at about 10 a.m. Wednesday and told authorities her son had been driving the car that Roberto Carlos Argueta shot from, and that her son wanted to talk to investigators. Deputies arrived at her home in LaBelle at about noon and found the blue 1991 Cadillac involved in the shooting parked in the backyard.

Mancha was transported to the Immokalee substation, where he admitted to driving the car during the shooting and said Argueta was the gunman.

The motive for the shooting appears to be retaliation for an earlier argument. Mancha told deputies that shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday he received a call from his brother saying that a fight involving 18-year-old Hector Ramirez Jr. had occurred in Mancha’s home.

At about 8 p.m. Tuesday the two men drove by a home at 1304 Peach St., and fired shots into a crowd of people gathered in the front yard, apparently targeting Ramirez.

Melinda Gonzalez, 30, a married mother of four young children, was shot in the head and died at Lee Memorial Hospital.

Ramirez was shot in the ankle while sitting next to a tree with several men. He was discharged from North Collier Hospital on Wednesday.

Investigators found Argueta at about 5 p.m. Wednesday after receiving a tip that he was in a car in Immokalee. He was found in a car on Roberts Avenue with two other men.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Kristin Adams said the other two men in the car were spoken to and deputies determined they were not involved with the shooting.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested both Mancha and Argueta on Wednesday night.

Mancha was charged with murder not premeditated and attempted murder. Argueta was charged with premeditated murder and attempted murder. Authorities said both Mancha and Argueta are affiliated with a gang.

“The information we have received indicates it was only those two persons in the (blue Cadillac),” Adams said. “If anyone has any other information, we’d be interested in speaking to them.”

Gonzalez’s family members said Thursday they are happy Mancha and Argueta have been apprehended but don’t understand why the two men targeted their home.

“My feeling now is, eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” said Gonzalez’s cousin, Mary Valdez.

“I’m a Catholic and I know I’m not supposed to be thinking like that, but I hope they put them in prison and the convicts do a lot of things to them when they’re in there.”

A viewing for Gonzalez is being held today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the First Baptist Church on Lake Trafford Road in Immokalee. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.

Valdez said the Sheriff’s Office is contributing $5,000 toward the funeral and will provide the family an additional $2,500 for each of Gonzalez’s children.

“They also said they could give the children counseling and will try to help them as much as they can,” Valdez said.

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readartic ... 340&z=3&p=

Click Here to Watch Video

New details released in drive-by shooting
NBC2 News
Last updated on: 6/1/2006 5:59:24 PM




COLLIER COUNTY: The Collier County Sheriff's Office has revealed new details about Tuesday evening's drive-by shooting in Immokalee. Deputies have also made two arrests in the shooting.

Deputies say a blue Cadillac pulled up to a home on Peach Street in Immokalee around 8 pm and someone in the vehicle began shooting.

Thirty year old Melinda Gonzalez was shot in the head and died at Lee Memorial Hospital and eighteen year old Hector Ramirez Jr was shot in the ankle.

Deputies say eighteen year old Henry Mancha's mother came forward saying her son was driving the car involved in the shooting and that he wanted to talk to investigators. Deputies went to her home in LaBelle and found the blue Cadillac and spoke with Mancha.

Mancha was arrested and charged with murder during a felony and attempted felony murder with injury by another. Deputies say Mancha owns the blue Cadillac involved in the shooting.

On Wednesday, Collier County deputies arrested 18 year old Roberto Argueta, who has been charged with premeditated murder and attempted felony murder causing injury in connection with the shooting of Ramirez.

Argueta was arrested after deputies were tipped off that a suspect in the shooting was in a car in Immokalee. A deputy found the car and took the three occupants into custody for questioning. Argueta matched the police bulletin and was arrested.

According to the CCSO, both Mancha and Argueta are known gang associates.

The motive for the shooting appeared to be retaliation for an earlier argument involving Ramirez at Mancha's home.

Another fine example of the "honest and hard working immigrants" Kennedy and McCain say would make wonderful citizens. They should be required to explain to the numerous American families who have lost loved ones to violent illegal aliens why they allow individuals like these to be citizens then apologize to those families for the lack of any concern for the welfare and safety of American citizens in the interest of cheap and compliant labor.

1. Iraq mess
2. Immigration mess
3. New orleans still unprepared for the 2006 hurricane season
4. "Loss" of my and other veterans data to illegal aliens and drug cartels
5. Just being jackasses and wastes of taxpayer dollars

INVESTIGATE AND IMPEACH BUSH NOW!!!!!!!

THE SENATE: The most corrupt institution money can buy!!!!!!!

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/jul ... g/?opinion

naplesnews.com
Editorial: Drive-by shooting
Victim deserves, at very least, tireless prosecution

Daily News staff

Friday, July 14, 2006

To have a drive-by shooting, a vehicle is required. So is a driver. So is a shooter.

There is no doubt all the elements were there for a drive-by shooting in Immokalee on May 30.

A 30-year-old mother of four, an innocent bystander, was killed by a bullet intended for someone else, who was wounded, as part of a gang-style feud.

What there are doubts about is the way the prosecution is being handled. Charges against the alleged shooter — Roberto Argueta, 18, here illegally from Mexico — have been reduced from first-degree to second-degree murder. Charges against the driver — Henry Mancha, also 18, a Naples native now residing in Immokalee — have been dropped altogether.

The change from first- to second-degree murder can be explained. First-degree requires proof of premeditation, and by all accounts Melinda Gonzalez was not the target. Plus, second-degree murder, upon conviction, can still bring a life sentence.

The dropping of charges and subsequent release from jail for the driver is something else again. How his role differs from that of the driver of a bank robbery getaway car or someone aiding in the escape of a fugitive is confounding to the non-lawyers among us.

With premeditation a factor in charges against the driver too, are we to accept that he gets lucky because gunfire missed the target and went astray, killing an innocent woman relaxing in the front yard with family and friends?

That is not adding up.

Is this the way a comparable case would be handled with a non-Hispanic victim in the Naples area?

Prosecutors say they might revisit charges against the driver if they can get more evidence. They invite tips to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, 793-9300; the State Attorney’s Office, 774-8470; or the Crime Stoppers Hotline, 1-800-780-TIPS.

It is worth remembering how these two suspects came to be arrested. They were turned in by the driver’s own mother — a clear sign that something very bad took place.

Criminal charges against the driver should have proceeded to a courtroom. The senseless loss of life in Immokalee on May 30 merited more than an abrupt decision made behind closed doors. The value of the life taken is worth harder work.