Twin brothers suspected of gunning down two people in San Diego in 2013 – killing one of the victims – were arrested Friday night in Mexico, authorities confirmed.
The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) announced Saturday the arrests of Anibal Avila and Edward Avila, both 27. The pair have been wanted for the past five-and-a-half years in connection with the deadly shooting of Rafael Robles, 34.
On April 11, 2013, at around 2:45 p.m., shots were fired in the 4000-block of 39th Street in San Diego’s Corridor neighborhood, near City Heights. When police officers arrived, they found Robles and another victim lying on the ground in an alley, each suffering from gunshot wounds.
The victims were taken to local hospitals; Robles died a short time later, while the second victim survived.
SDPD detectives identified the suspects as the Avila twins and believed the duo had fled to Mexico. Warrants were issued for both of their arrests, but, until now, they had remained at large.
The Avila brothers were arrested by Mexican law enforcement and turned over to U.S. authorities at the San Diego-Mexico border Friday night, the SDPD said.
They were booked into San Diego Central Jail each on one count of first-degree murder and attempted murder, their bail set at $3 million. The twins are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 6.
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Homicide detectives have said that the brothers got into some sort of argument with the victims before pulling out a handgun and firing on them. The suspect fled the scene in a dark-colored pick-up truck.
