Two teenagers have been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy in a north Austin parking garage earlier this month. Omarion Verse, 19, and Dedric Verse, 18, were both taken into custody and are facing capital murder charges for the death of Carlos Sotelo, who was shot on December 13 at the Griffis Apartments on Esperanza Crossing. CBS Austin reports that surveillance footage showed a white Toyota Corolla entering the garage around 1:33 a.m., shortly following the arrival of Sotelo, setting the stage for what investigators believe was a "prearranged meeting."
The situation turned deadly when multiple suspects approached Sotelo's vehicle, with one pressing a gun to the driver's head while demanding property. According to the arrest affidavit, after attempting to flee, the driver was fired upon, resulting in Sotelo being struck by the gunfire. Sotelo was later pronounced dead at Saint David's North Austin Medical Center the following day. Still being held in the Travis County Jail, online records show Dedric Verse maintains a bond set at $1 million, with Omarion Verse's set at $300,000.
A detailed police investigation uncovered evidence through surveillance footage, cell phone records, and social media activity that led to the identification of the suspects. KXAN notes that messages arranging the meeting were found, and the nature of the exchange was to allegedly include a "pound of narcotics" for $1,100.
In a press statement obtained by KXAN, Dedric Verse's attorney Brian Erskine remarked on the ongoing case, stating "the investigation appears recent and evolving with a lot of questions still to be answered. I'm looking forward to working with Mr. Verse, and am hopeful the truth is revealed after a thorough investigation."
CBS Austin reported that during the incident, violence erupted as the teens tried to escape from Verse and another suspect who were holding handguns and had demanded that the victims "give me all you got." While driving away from the scene, shots rang out, leading to Sotelo sustaining fatal injuries and his subsequent death at the hospital.
