Suspect still sought in Royal City death

September slaying unsolved

ROYAL CITY - A Royal City orchard worker remains wanted in connection with a co-worker's beating death in September.

A homicide arrest warrant is active for Margarito Torres Lopez, 27, who is wanted in the death of another Royal City orchard worker, Valerio Lopez Hernandez, 22, said Kim Cook, a Grant County Sheriff's Office detective.

Torres Lopez's role in Lopez Hernandez's death on Sept. 11 isn't known, but he was reportedly seen by a witness shortly after the killing, according to a Columbia Basin Herald article from September.

Torres Lopez's brother, Felix Cortez Lopez, 20, of Royal City, was charged with first-degree murder in the case.

He is awaiting his trial date, Cook said. He was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday and Feb. 12.

A material witness in the case, Luz Manuel Flores Ramirez, 26, of Royal City, is being held in custody and was not believed to be involved in the slaying.

The three men worked together in different orchards, Cook said.

The motive in Hernandez's death is believed to be "sexual in nature," Cook said, declining to elaborate.

Torres Lopez apparently doesn't have family members left in Royal City, Cook said.

It was believed in September there was nothing to stop him from returning to his home country of Mexico.

Torres Lopez is generally described as between 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 6 inches, 140 to 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, said Chief Deputy John Turley. A photo of Torres Lopez was unavailable.

Lopez Hernandez was found laying on his back in the sagebrush near Frenchman Hills Road close to a blood-splattered van.

He died from head injuries and received significant damage to his face, according to the Grant County Coroner's Office.

According to court documents, Flores Ramirez said the victim lived with a woman in Royal City.

Authorities went to the woman's home and spoke with an unidentified man who said he hadn't seen the victim for two weeks, but that his vehicle was at a repair shop in Royal City.

The victim's vehicle was registered to Margarito Torres Lopez, court records state.

Lopez's brother, Felix Cortez Lopez was found by authorities at an apartment in Mt. Vernon.

Cook said when authorities picked up Cortez Lopez in Mt. Vernon, it appeared someone spoke to Torres Lopez and told him not to show up.