Federal Way police have arrested three suspects in the drive-by murder that occurred last week.
Arturo Marcial-Alvarez, 19, of Kent was shot multiple times and killed at 4:30 p.m. on April 11 as he exited a bus at South Dash Point Road and Pacific Highway South.
Police booked a 21-year-old man from Kent and a 15-year-old boy from Burien on first-degree murder, however formal charges are pending. According to King County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Dan Donohoe, the 21-year-old waived his court appearance and is being held on $1 million bail.
Alondra J. Garcia-Garcia, a 20-year-old Seattle woman was booked and charged with rendering criminal assistance in the first degree. She is being held on $750,000 bail.
According to Garcia-Garcia’s charging documents, prosecutors claim she positioned her van behind the bus Marcial-Alvarez was on and waited for him to get off. It was the strategic position of her van that allowed the suspects to shoot the victim from the passenger seat before she “swiftly” drove off, escaping, the documents continue.
Detectives caught Garcia-Garcia and her van two days later after responding to a shooting. In their investigation of that shooting, they learned Garcia-Garcia returned fire, and police recognized characteristics witnesses gave of the van from Marcial-Alvarez’s murder.
Federal Way police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock said it appears the Marcial-Alvarez was targeted by the suspects who are allegedly in a rival gang.
“This case is still very active and detectives continue their work to identify all individuals involved in this homicide,” Federal Way police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock said.
Marcial-Alvarez has a history of criminal contacts with Federal Way, many involving drug-related crimes and one conviction of a car prowl.
Last week, King County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Cindi West said detectives are investigating whether the homicide is connected to a Burien and Seattle that occurred around the same time as the Federal Way one.
The Mirror will update this report as more information is available.
