A 14-year-old boy is now in custody in connection with the Dec. 3 shooting outside Kennewick's Heatherstone Apartments that left a 16-year-old dead. The teen was arrested Tuesday in neighboring Richland and booked on suspicion of first-degree murder, marking a major development in a case that has gripped the Tri-Cities for months.
Arrest Traced To Richland Shopping Area
Detectives with Kennewick's Criminal Apprehension Team, working with the Richland Police Department Street Crimes Unit, located the suspect on Feb. 12 in the 3000 block of Queensgate Drive and arrested him, according to NBC Right Now. Police said the teen was booked into the Benton-Franklin Juvenile Detention Center on a first-degree murder charge.
Investigators say the move followed behind-the-scenes work with the Benton County Prosecutor's Office to build probable cause before making the arrest.
December Shooting Outside Heatherstone
On Dec. 3, officers arrived at the Heatherstone Apartments in the 1100 block of West 10th Avenue and found 16-year-old Alexander Carcamo-Danley fatally wounded outside, according to the Tri-City Herald. Lifesaving efforts at the scene were not successful.
Investigators recovered six 9 mm shell casings in the parking lot and treated the shooting as a targeted attack, the outlet reported.
Earlier Arrest Of Second Teen Suspect
This latest arrest is not the first in the case. In early December, authorities took another teenager into custody after a nationwide warrant led to his capture in Union Gap, reporting from Yahoo. Court records cited by the outlet identify him as Jacob A. Carrillo.
According to those court documents, Carrillo is accused of firing multiple shots that struck Carcamo-Danley. Prosecutors have indicated they may try to move that case to adult court because of the seriousness of the allegations.
Video, Social Media And Digital Trails
Detectives have leaned heavily on digital evidence as they pieced together what happened. Investigators say they obtained security footage along with numerous videos and messages that linked several teens to the scene, including posts where suspects reportedly discussed the killing and later tried to delete the content, as outlined by Tri-City Herald.
Court documents referenced in that reporting describe one teen with a handgun in his lap and others talking about the shooting after it occurred.
Charges, Court Review And What Comes Next
The newly arrested 14-year-old is being held at the Benton-Franklin Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of first-degree murder while the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office reviews the case, NBC Right Now reported.
Prosecutors will decide on formal charges, whether to seek a transfer to adult court, and the timing of any arraignment as detectives continue collecting and cataloging evidence.
Police Still Seeking Tips
Kennewick police say the community has already played a key role in the investigation and are asking for more help as they work to tie up remaining loose ends. Anyone with information is asked to call the department at 509-628-0333 or submit an anonymous tip through the agency's online tip portal, according to reporting by Fox 41.
Detectives say those tips have been crucial in developing leads and moving the case forward.
