Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

Three arrested in Dos Palos murder case

Sheriff's deputies served search warrants Tuesday

Three arrests have been made in a double homicide reported near Dos Palos last week, the Merced County Sheriff's Department reported Thursday.

The suspects, Jose Vidal German, 20, Bryan Bridgeford, 20, and a 17-year-old male juvenile, were taken into custody after detectives served three search warrants in the Dos Palos area early Tuesday morning, according to Deputy Tom MacKenzie, sheriff's spokesman.

The warrants were executed with the SWAT Team at residences in the 1900 block of Golden Gate Ave., 21000 block of Highway 33 and the 7000 block of Carmelia Ave, MacKenzie said. The three suspects have been booked on suspicion of murder with gang enhancements.

The victims, 21-year-old Juan Avalos of Dos Palos and 16-year-old Lionel Medina, were killed around 1 a.m. on Jan. 5, inside a detached garage in the 19000 block of Highway 33, at the residence where Medina lived. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

Detectives believe the shooting was the result of ongoing rival gang rivalry, MacKenzie said. The juvenile suspect was already in custody at Juvenile Hall on suspicion of violating a probation warrant and felony evading law enforcement when the search warrants were served.

MacKenzie said detectives have recovered one of the guns that was allegedly used in the killings.