Larioz sentenced for 'Pooky' shooting

EPHRATA - A Moses Lake man involved in the shooting of Juan "Pooky" Vasquez in June 2009.

Frankie M. Larioz, 20, pleaded guilty to obstructing a law enforcement officer as his part in the incident. The charge was changed from rendering criminal assistance in the first degree as part of the plea agreement.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Knodell followed the prosecutor's recommendation, sentencing Larioz to 180 days with 128 days suspended for two years.

Larioz drove Cesar I. Ramos DeLaCruz, 28, while he searched for a juvenile who owed money for marijuana. When Larioz spotted Vasquez sitting in his car at the intersection of Vandenberg and Doolittle Drive, he stopped to ask for the juvenile's phone number, according to the Grant County sheriff's report. When Vasquez saw DeLaCruz, he drove away.

DeLaCruz ordered Larioz to follow, catching up with Vasquez at the intersection of Doolittle Drive and Patton Boulevard, according to the police report. DeLaCruz got out of the vehicle, knocked on Vasquez' window, and as the victim pulled onto Patton Boulevard, DeLaCruz fired a .357 Magnum and shot Vasquez twice. A third shot missed the victim.

Larioz was originally charged with murder in the first degree, but it was dropped after DeLaCruz sent a letter to the court explaining Larioz was not aware of what DeLaCruz was going to do.

DeLaCruz pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.