Additional charge filed against teen murder suspect

Now facing charges of murder, attempted murder, assault and drive-by shooting

By RICHARD BYRD

Staff Writer

EPHRATA — Grant County prosecutors tacked on an extra charge against teen murder suspect Noel Cardenas on Monday.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz granted a motion from the prosecutor's office to file an additional charge against Cardenas, 18, of Quincy. Cardenas pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and drive-by-shooting. He was initially only charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault and drive-by-shooting in connection with the late February murder of 17-year-old Jahleel Munnings and shooting of 20-year-old Luis Nava Trujillo.

Cardenas, who turns 18 today, has nine previous misdemeanor convictions in juvenile court and two previous felony convictions in juvenile court, one for residential burglary in February 2016, and another for unlawful possession of a firearm in March 2016.

A Quincy Police Department Officer was on patrol Feb. 25 and reported seeing a male, alleged to be Cardenas, holding a rifle by an alley between I Street Southwest and J Street Southwest, moments after hearing gunfire. Cardenas allegedly fired three more shots, one of which hit and killed Munnings. The officer said two more shots were fired, one of which struck Nava Trujillo in the shoulder.

Cardenas then reportedly jumped into a vehicle, which was later reported as stolen by his mother, and drove out of the officer’s sight. Nava Trujillo told police as he and Munnings were walking they were passed by a green car, believed to be driven by Cardenas, two separate times.

He claimed after the second passing the driver went in front of where he and Munnings were walking. He said it was then that Cardenas came running out of an alley with a shotgun in hand. Cardenas allegedly yelled “you’re (Munnings) the one that broke into my house” and opened fire.

Cardenas’ mother told police her son took her car without her permission and called her about 20 minutes later and told her to report the vehicle as stolen. He allegedly told his mother he shot someone after a gun was pulled on him. Cardenas remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.