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WEB EXCLUSIVE: Police investigating homicide believed to be gang related

Linda Womack
Banner Staff Writer

Friday, Jan 23, 2009

The Cleveland Police Department is investigating the first homicide of the year and it appears to be gang related.

Officers responded to the Viva Mexico grocery store, located at 110 Keith St. S.E., shortly before 11 a.m. Friday after receiving a 911 call from the store owner’s wife.
According to reports, upon their arrival officers found store owner Freddy Perez, 37, lying in the floor dead from what police now believe was a stab wound.

Cleveland Police Chief Wes Snyder said the exact number of wounds inflicted upon the victim are unknown at this time.

Preliminary investigations by the Cleveland Police Department indicated the homicide was possibly motivated by a robbery; however, Snyder said investigators have quickly ruled out robbery.

“Based on what we’re seeing this is not a robbery. It appears right now that someone was sending a message and there is a distinct possibility this is gang related. That’s all we’re really able to say at this point,â€