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Police
continue hunt for suspects linked to slayings
By Kenny Klein
The Desert Sun
December 21, 2001
DESERT HOT SPRINGS -- Authorities
will continue their hunt today for suspects in a pair of
homicides on Wednesday.
The two shootings happened
during a four-hour span in the north part of the
city.
Police are seeking Emilio Avalos, 24, of Desert
Hot Springs, for questioning in the early-morning slaying of
Henry Vellore Lozano, 20, of Desert Hot Springs.
Lozano
was killed at 6:36 a.m. Wednesday when a gunman pulled
alongside of his Ford Focus and riddled it with gunfire as he
drove home, police said. Lozano died on Palm Drive north of
San Juan Road, several blocks from his house.
Though
Avalos’ most recent address is on Third Street in Desert Hot
Springs, police said he may have left the Coachella Valley.
"We believe (Avalos) left the area after the shooting and may
be in the San Fernando Valley area because that’s where he
lived before coming here," said Desert Hot Springs Police Lt.
Jim Steimer.
Motive: Police believe the killing may
have stemmed from a fight Lozano and Avalos had over Lozano’s
girlfriend, who was Avalos’ former girlfriend and mother of
his child, Steimer said.
Lozano’s older sister, Desiree
Stamas, said the loss has been hard for the family to handle.
‘‘We are all just in shock. It’s an unbelievable situation,"
she said.
Police also have a man in custody in
connection with a shooting earlier that morning. Damien Owens,
25, of Banning, was arrested late Wednesday in Banning.
He remains in the Riverside County Jail in Indio on
suspicion of robbery and murder in connection with the slaying
of Russell Wilson, 65, police said.
Wilson was shot to
death about 2:50 a.m. inside his apartment in the 11-700 block
of Mesquite Avenue by one of several men during a robbery that
police suspect involved drugs and/or money, Steimer
said.
At large: Police say they have information that
two others suspects remain at large, but don’t have enough
information to release their names and
descriptions.
Owens, who remains in custody on $500,000
bail and numerous warrants, will be arraigned
today.
Wednesday’s homicides were the first reported in
the city this year. Last year, no murders were reported in the
city, though two people were killed in 1999.
Anyone
with information on the Lozano or Wilson can call police at
329-2904.
Kenny Klein covers police, fire and
crime. He can be reached at 778-4640 or by e-mail at
Kenny.Klein@thedesertsun.com
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