Moses Lake man to face trial for attempted murder
Trial starts today
EPHRATA - A Moses Lake man will face trial this week for his alleged involvement in a shooting near Upper Goose Lake in January.
Miguel Solis Jr., 24, Moses Lake, is charged in Grant County Superior Court with attempted murder in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree and unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree.
His trial is scheduled to start today.
Miguel Solis Jr. and his brother, Jose Solis, allegedly took Hugo Fuentes Astudillo from Pasco, Wash., to an area within the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge boundaries, 20 miles south of Moses Lake, according to court records. When the car stopped, they told Astudillo to get out of the vehicle.
Once the man was outside, Miguel Solis Jr. allegedly called Astudillo a "snitch," according to court records. Then he reportedly took out a .38 caliber pistol and shot the man in the neck. When Astudillo started to run, Jose Solis allegedly fired at the man.
Astudillo reportedly hid in a pool of water, court records state. After allegedly escaping the two brothers, he walked for a while until he found a driver, after he was shot in the neck and shoulder.
Police identified Miguel Solis Jr. through a tattoo on his neck and on his face, court records indicate. When he was questioned by police, he reportedly told them he was in Pasco, Wash., with a friend.
When Jose Solis was questioned later on, he reportedly told the investigators he and his brother were visiting Miguel Solis Jr.'s girlfriend's house. During a search of the area Jose Solis was hiding, police allegedly found a .38 caliber pistol and a .22 caliber pistol.
If convicted, Miguel Solis Jr. faces a maximum term of life in prison for the charges of attempted murder in the first degree and kidnapping in the first degree. The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Jose Solis is charged with attempted murder in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree and tampering with physical evidence. He is being charged separately.