Police announce 2 arrests in Georgetown shooting case
Only an hour before hundreds of people gathered on The Circle in Georgetown on Thursday for a candlelit vigil for two local men, police made arrests in the case.
Delaware State Police announced Friday morning that they arrested Yony Morales-Garcia, 22, and Emner Morales-Garcia, 21, both of Georgetown on charges of murder, robbery and more.
Armando Vicente Chilel-Lopez, 31, of Georgetown, and Honorio Velasquez, 28, of Bridgeville, were gunned down at El Nopalito Restaurant in Georgetown on Saturday evening, state police said.
Investigators said a group of men had been asked to leave the restaurant earlier because of their disorderly behavior and a dispute with other patrons. Two of them later came back in masks, and one of them took a necklace from Chilel-Lopez’s neck. Chilel-Lopez lunged at the man, and the man's companion drew a handgun and shot Chilel-Lopez. As the two men fled, the one with the handgun fired a second shot into the dining area, which hit Velasquez.
Velasquez was pronounced dead at the scene. Chilel-Lopez died at the hospital.
At about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Delaware State Police pulled over a vehicle in Milford and arrested the two suspects, they said.
The men are accused of first degree murder, first degree robbery, possession of a firearm and wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, carrying a concealed deadly weapon and conspiracy. They were held in Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $2.12 million cash bond, police said.
Meanwhile, the crowd at the vigil heard prayers and remarks from a number of speakers.
Kevin Andrade of radio station Maxima 95.3, Mayor Bill West, state Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, state Rep. Ruth Briggs King, and a number of area pastors spoke, some in Spanish, some in English translated to Spanish.
A recurring theme was a call for unity.
"Once (the perpetrators) are found, we will push for justice, for justice to be served," Pettyjohn said. He quoted Psalm 34:18: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
"The only appropriate words that I can offer, like many in our community, is that I am deeply, deeply sorry for your loss," Briggs King said.
At the end of the vigil, a chant broke out: "Justice, justice" and later, "Queremos justicia."
“Honorio was known for his outgoingness, laughter, and joy he spread to others,” a GoFundMe page raising money for funeral expenses said.
A GoFundMe page for Chilel-Lopez’s family reads, “We knew him for always smiling and being great with kids. He was always around when you needed him.”
There were rumors that a police chase Saturday starting in Seaford and ending in Easton, Maryland was related to this shooting. But the Easton Star Democrat reported it was a separate case and that police were actually after a Seaford woman accused of attempted murder in southern Maryland. After the pursuit to Easton, the woman shot herself and was flown to shock trauma.
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Andrew Sharp
Andrew Sharp
Andrew Sharp