EVERETT — A man suspected of shooting his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend outside an Everett apartment sent threatening messages days before the killing.
He also allegedly told detectives he tracked Carlos Lara-Ramos down and waited at least an hour for the man to come outside the Arterra Apartments on W Casino Road. Lara-Ramos, 28, was shot once in the chest during a scuffle. He likely was no more than three inches away from the gun when he was hit, according to court papers.
Prosecutors on Wednesday charged Alexander Sandoval-Ortiz with first-degree murder and possessing a stolen gun. Sandoval-Ortiz, 33, was being held on $1 million bail. He told detectives he is a member of MS-13, a violent street gang.
The investigation also revealed that he is from Guatemala and has two felony convictions out of California. Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have taken action against him in past. It took some time to learn the defendant’s true name. He was arrested two days after the killing.
Detectives believe the June 16 shooting was motivated by jealousy.
A woman recently had broken up with Sandoval-Ortiz and began seeing Lara-Ramos, whom she dated in the past. Sandoval-Ortiz allegedly responded by sending the pair messages, threatening to kill Lara-Ramos. The week before the shooting he tried to get the couple to meet with him. He later sent the woman a picture of a handgun.
The gun matched the one police recovered after the shooting. Sandoval-Ortiz allegedly led police to the weapon after his arrest. The gun was stolen June 16 from a vehicle parked outside an apartment where the defendant was living, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Hal Hupp wrote.
Sandoval-Ortiz allegedly told investigators he traded a homeless man drugs for the gun.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley
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