A 16-year-old boy is now in custody after authorities announced an arrest Tuesday in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Marco Lopez Terrazas in Elkhart. Investigators with the Elkhart County Homicide Unit say they took the teen into custody late Monday, and he is being held without bond ahead of an initial court appearance set for March 12 at 8:30 a.m. The early-morning shooting unfolded in the 2600 block of Morton Avenue and sparked a full county homicide investigation.
In a media advisory posted to Facebook, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Elkhart County identified the suspect as Emerson Rodriguez Oviedo, age 16, and said a judicial officer found probable cause for a murder charge. According to the advisory, prosecutors will decide whether to file formal charges by the close of business on Friday. The office also underscored that, under Indiana law, anyone who is arrested is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Shooting and response
Police were dispatched shortly before 8 a.m. Monday to the 2600 block of Morton Avenue, where officers and medics found Marco Lopez Terrazas suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to WNDU. The Elkhart County Homicide Unit processed the scene and has been leading the investigation since.
Legal next steps
The prosecutor's advisory states that the Elkhart County Homicide Unit made the arrest late Monday afternoon and that the teen was ordered held without bond until his initial hearing in Elkhart Circuit Court on March 12 at 8:30 a.m. The advisory, posted on the prosecutor’s Facebook page, lists Vicki Elaine Becker as the media contact for the office.
How to help
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the Elkhart County Homicide Unit at 574-295-2825 or the Elkhart Police Department at 574-295-7070, per the city's police page. Media inquiries related to the advisory are being directed to Vicki Elaine Becker at (574) 296-1888.
