Suspects Arrested for Killing Teen
One suspect charge with Capital Murder
This article was published on Thursday, January 4, 2007 9:06 PM CST in News
By Melissa Blakely
Email this story Print this story Comment on this story BENTONVILLE --Two Springdale men were arrested in connection with the shooting of a Centerton boy found dead Saturday in Benton County, authorities said.

Benton County Sheriff's Office released the name of two men on Thursday, charged in connection with the killing of Derrick Earl Jefferson, 17, of Centerton.

Jefferson was found dead in a driveway Saturday morning at 4157 N. 40th St., an unincorporated area of Benton County, with one gunshot wound to the head.

With little to no evidence at the scene of the crime, the Sheriff's Office worked 48 hours straight following the incident, and with the assistance of Fayetteville and Springdale Police, found two witnesses that gave investigators enough information to issue search and arrest warrants, Sheriff Keith Ferguson said at a news conference Thursday.

Erickson Dimas-Martinez, 21, of Springdale was arrested Thursday at 6:30 a.m. after police executed a search and arrest warrant at 1408 Thrush St. Apt. B in Springdale. Dimas-Martinez was charged in connection with capital murder, which if found guilty, is punishable to either life in prison without parole or death by lethal injection.

Springdale police arrested Uris Galdamez Magana, 20, of 1672 Tuscan St. in connection with felony charges of first-degree forgery and for a deportation order by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

According to police reports, an immigration agent found identification on Magana belonging to a man serving time in a Puerto Rico prison.
Capt. Mike Sydoriak, investigator with the Sheriff's Office said their investigation also led them to Magana, who police said will be charged in connection with a felony charge of accomplice to capital murder.

Sydoriak said Magana's initial arrest by Springdale police was unrelated to their murder investigation.

Investigators learned through two witness interviews the men were supposed to take Jefferson home from a party at 1672 Tuscan St. but eventually wound up at 40th Street near Springdale. The witnesses told investigators they were at the party with the men and Jefferson, and at the scene of the crime, Sydoriak said.

One man pulled the trigger and one man assisted in the shooting, police said. The gun used in the shooting has not been recovered, Sydoriak said.

Investigators were questioning Dimas-Martinez on Thursday at the Benton County Jail and completed interviews with the witnesses and Magana. Sydoriak said investigators heard one side of the story and hadn't discovered a motive behind the killing, or learned if the killing was gang-related.
The Sheriff's Office did not want to release any further information regarding the investigation until they were through with interviews, Sydoriak said.

Police were unable to identify the body Saturday due to the lack of personal effects but after releasing information to the media on Jefferson's physical description, his grandmother came forward with photographs and was able to make a positive identification, according to the Sheriff's Office news release.

Dimas-Martinez and Magana were being held Thursday in the Benton County Jail and will have a bond hearing before Judge David Clinger at 10:30 a.m. today at the Benton County Courthouse.

there are a lot of reader comments on this article
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/ ... ogcomments