The Grant County Sheriff’s Office said new information in the five-year-old murder case has led to the arrest of two people who were teenagers at the time of the crime.
MOSES LAKE, Wash. — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) says their deputies have arrested two people in connection with the 2021 shooting death of Christopher Vincent. Investigators charged Melquíades Manuel Benavidez of Moses Lake and Gilberto Sanchez Medina of Mattawa with first-degree murder and drive-by shooting, according to GCSO.
GCSO investigators said that on May 26, 2021, Sanchez and Benavidez were driving along Airway Drive NE, passing Kristopher Vincent and decided to rob him. GCSO investigators said the two suspects turned and parked next to Vincent, and Sanchez allegedly shot Vincent.
GCSO investigators believe the shooting was random because they found no connection between the suspect and the victim.
GCSO said both suspects were 20 years old today and 15 years old at the time of the crimes. GCSO said their deputies arrested Benavidez on Sunday to investigate the allegations, while Sanchez was already in custody on an unrelated alleged crime.
“The case remains open but has been stalled due to a lack of leads,” GCSO said. “New information was recently shared with investigators, leading to the arrests of Benavidez and Sanchez.”
“Our hearts go out to Mr. Vincent’s family as they continue to suffer this unimaginable loss,” Grant County Prosecutor Brandon Guernsey said.
