Police can’t find suspect in double murder — might be in Mexico

BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer

East Palo Alto Police are trying to find the man who shot four people, killing two, at a party in a tow lot, but a prosecutor said yesterday (Oct. 29) it’s possible that the shooter has skipped town, and perhaps even the country.

East Palo Alto have not released any information to the public about the suspect. But San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said yesterday the department is having a hard time finding where the suspect is.

“It seems like they know who it is, but it’s like a game of ‘Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?’ to find him,” Wagstaffe said.

Wagstaffe said it’s possible that the suspect has fled to Mexico. But he added that recently Mexican officials have become much more cooperative with U.S. law enforcement when it come to looking for suspects. “It used to be if you made it down there you, were home safe, but that’s not so much the case anymore,” Wagstaffe said.

Police have been looking for the man since Oct. 14, when a 21st birthday party and Halloween party at the A1 Auto Services and Towing lot was interrupted by a fight, which escalated to East Palo Alto’s first public murder in two years.

Four were shot, including the birthday girl’s boyfriend, who has since recovered. Two Sequoia High School graduates, Eduardo “Lalo” Alvarado Sandoval, 22, of Stockton and Mario Vidales Mendez, 23, of Redwood City, were killed.

Police learned of the shooting at 2:44 a.m., from their ShotSpotter system, which picks up the sound of gunfire in the city and triangulates the location.
Police said they were on the scene in less than two minutes and found four victims suffering from gunshot wounds. In addition to the two men who were shot dead, two others were seriously wounded.

The Oct. 14 shooting was the first homicide to occur in public in East Palo Alto since June 10, 2016. A murder-suicide occurred in East Palo Alto on Dec. 13 inside a home.

2 Comments

  1. I want to thank the Palo Alto daily post for following up on this story. For whatever reason this story didn’t make the headlines in many of our local stations. I pray for a speedy apprehension of the person responsible so that justice can be served and bring some closure to the families involved. Again thanks you!

    • Is weird ha? Yes it is!!
      Nobody contact me about it, any news channel any local stations, I’m a desperate mother I just want justice for my son,everyone is just quite,yes and been praying too for the speed apprehension,

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