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Law enforcement vehicles are parked near the playground in Sunset Park during the investigation of a murder Sunday evening. (photo by Tom Dorsey / Salina Journal) | Buy Journal Photos

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Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield talks during a press conference Monday morning about a fatal shooting Sunday night in Sunset Park. (photo by Tom Dorsey / Salina Journal)

Journal Extra

Law enforcement vehicles are parked near the playground in Sunset Park during the investigation of a murder Sunday evening. (photo by Tom Dorsey / Salina Journal)

Suspects in custody

7/27/2010
By DAVID CLOUSTON Salina Journal

Shortly after 7 p.m. Monday, Dodge City authorities arrested the second suspect in Sunday’s fatal shooting about the same time as friends and relatives gathered in Salina’s Sunset Park for a candlelight vigil in honor of the victim.

Jose M. Garay, 28, of Salina, was arrested on a charge of first degree murder, Deputy Salina Police Chief Carson Mansfield said. He said details of the arrest would be released today.

Derek Dean Rico, 17, was shot with a medium-caliber handgun, police said. Authorities have not said whether the weapon was recovered.

Rico was killed at 7:40 p.m. Sunday. Deputy Salina Police Chief Carson Mansfield wouldn’t disclose what police think caused the argument that led to the shooting near the parks’s playground.

Police Sunday night arrested Juan Pablo Ramos Jr., 18, 738 N. Second. He’s been charged with aiding a felon.

Mansfield said Ramos turned himself in at the Salina Police Department hours after the shooting.

Monday morning, Saline County Attorney Ellen Mitchell said authorities had the alleged getaway driver — Ramos — and were looking for the alleged shooter — Garay.

She said Ramos is scheduled to make his first appearance in Saline County District Court at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday by closed-circuit video from the Saline County Jail. The judge will set his bond at that appearance.

District Judge Patrick Thompson set Garay’s bond at $750,000. He is facing a charge of first-degree murder.

Report of a shooting

Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield said at a news conference Monday morning that the police department received a 911 call about 7:40 p.m. from someone who said that a person had been shot at Sunset Park. There had been a large number of people gathered there throughout the day, some of whom were attending a birthday barbecue, according to relatives of Rico.

Two minutes after receiving the 911 call, officers arrived and found Rico dead. Mansfield would not say where the shot entered Rico’s body.

“Some of the people involved in this claim gang affiliation,” Mansfield said.

Garay, was described as a Hispanic male, 6 feet, 1 inch tall, weighing 232 pounds. Authorities say Garay’s street nickname is “Chapo.”

Mansfield said there were eyewitnesses to the shooting.

Garay was due to appear in Saline County District Court Monday in an unrelated case accusing him of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and stalking, for violating a protective order against a woman. Garay was set to appear at 3 p.m. before District Judge Rene Young for scheduling of a preliminary hearing.

A financial affidavit filed in that case in April shows Garay owns a 1997 Chevrolet pickup. He had been unemployed the previous two months but had formerly worked for Stress Cast Inc., of Assaria.

n Reporter David Clouston can be reached at 822-1403 or by e-mail at [email protected].