Grant County Sheriff’s Office said new information in the five-year-old murder case led to the arrest of two, who were teenagers at the time of the alleged crime.
MOSES LAKE, Wash. — Grant County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) said their deputies arrested two people in connection to the 2021 shooting death of Kristopher Vincent. According to GCSO, investigators charged Melquiades Manuel Benavidez of Moses Lake and Gilberto Sanchez Medina of Mattawa with first-degree murder and drive-by shooting.
GCSO investigators said Sanchez and Benavidez were driving along Airway Drive NE on May 26, 2021, they passed Kristopher Vincent along the way and decided to rob him. Investigators with GCSO said the two suspects turned around, stopped next to Vincent and shortly after Sanchez allegedly shot Vincent.
GCSO investigators believe the shooting was at random since they found no connection between the suspects and the victim.
GCSO said both suspects are 20 years old today and they were 15 years old at the time of the alleged crime. GCSO said their deputies arrested Benavidez on Sunday for investigation of the charges and Sanchez was already in custody for another unrelated alleged crime.
“The case remained active but had stalled due to lack of leads,” GCSO said. “New information was recently shared with investigators, resulting in the arrests of Benavidez and Sanchez”
“Our hearts remain with Mr. Vincent’s family as they continue to endure this unimaginable loss,” Grant County Prosecuting Attorney Brandon Guernsey said.
