Man serving 18 years for Quincy gang killing

EPHRATA - One of the three men accused of participating in killing Adan Beltran is serving 18 years in prison.

Roberto Murillo Vera, 21, of Wenatchee, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Grant County Superior Court in December, according to court records. He was recently sentenced.

Prosecutors initially charged Murillo Vera with second-degree murder, drive-by shooting and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to court records. The charge against Murillo Vera along with a co-defendant, Benjamin Lopez Jr., 18, of Quincy, was increased to first-degree murder after the initial charges were filed. Abraham Lopez, 17, of Quincy, is also charged with first-degree murder.

Prosecutor Angus Lee consulted with the Quincy police chief and the lead detective before entering into the plea agreement, he stated when Murillo Vera pleaded guilty.

"Both were in agreement that this resolution was appropriate considering the acts of the individual as a driver and the strength of the facts of the case," Lee stated.

Murillo Vera's previous felony conviction include four counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of second-degree assault. When combined with his present convictions, he faced a sentencing range of 18 years to 26 years in prison.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz followed the recommendation of prosecutors and defense attorneys, sentencing Murillo Vera to 18 years in prison.

Witnesses reportedly spotted the four people in a 1985 Oldsmobile, when the people in the car allegedly shot and killed Beltran, 25, outside of a D Street Southeast residence, according to a Quincy police report. One of the witnesses allegedly heard one or two shots, before running out and seeing Beltran falling.

The four people fled the scene, almost striking a vehicle on Fourth Avenue Southeast as they drove westbound out of an alley, according to the police report.

A Douglas County sheriff's deputy spotted the car on state Route 28. A chase ended when officers used spike strips to stop the vehicle, according to the police report.

Murillo Vera reportedly fled the vehicle. Police allegedly chased and caught him about 100 yards off the road in a nearby orchard.

Police recovered two handguns, a .357 Magnum and a .25 caliber semi-automatic, from the scene, according to the report.

Both the victim and the defendants were members of rival gangs, according to the report.