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ESCONDIDO: Two arrests in teen's killing
One suspect still sought in April 10 stabbing
By COLLEEN MENSCHING - Staff Writer | Friday, April 25, 2008 1:44 PM PDT ∞

ESCONDIDO ---- Police confirmed Thursday that a man arrested this week is one of three suspects in the fatal April 10 stabbing of a 17-year-old Valley High School student on Mission Avenue.

Lt. Bob Benton also confirmed that there are additional suspects in the killing of Gerardo Daniel "Danny" Medina, including a 16-year-old boy now in custody and a second juvenile suspect who is at large.

Benton said the suspects know each other, but that investigators still don't know whether they knew Medina.

On Wednesday, Adan Conseco Valdez, 26, was arrested by Escondido police and jailed at the Vista Detention Facility on suspicion of first-degree murder, county booking logs show.

Benton said the 16-year-old suspect, whose name has not yet been released, was arrested the same day.

The suspects in custody are Escondido residents, he said.

Shortly after 11 p.m. April 10, police responded to reports of a fight near the 7-Eleven at Mission Avenue and Midway Drive.

Officers never found the fight, but they found Medina's body farther down Mission, just a few blocks from where Medina lived with his family.

Medina was pronounced dead at the scene. His killing is the city's first homicide of 2008, Benton said.

Family members have asserted that Medina was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is not a gang member, they said.

Benton said investigators are still looking into whether anyone involved in the case has gang ties.

Valdez is being held without bail at the Vista jail, according to county booking logs. Valdez was also placed under an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold, logs said.

He is scheduled to appear in court Friday.

Escondido police continue to investigate and are asking anyone with information about the case to call Detective Greg Gay at (760) 839-4404 or the Police Department's anonymous tip line at (760) 743-TIPS.


www.nctimes.com