XPost: alt.california.illegals, az.politics, sac.general   
   XPost: alt.politics.republicans   
   From: fbd@pacbell.net   
      
   The triple homicide case that baffled San Diegans since last   
   Christmas Eve has officially been turned over to the San Diego   
   District Attorney's Office, San Diego Police officials said   
   Monday.   
      
   During a brief press conference, SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman   
   started by officially announcing the arrest of a suspect, 29-   
   year-old Carlo Gallapo Mercado.   
      
   After a six-month investigation into the slayings of Ilona   
   Flint, Salvatore Belvedere and Gianni Belvedere, Mercado was   
   taken into custody Friday night in his Mira Mesa driveway.   
      
   "Although the arrest of this violent individual and the upcoming   
   aggressive prosecution will never bring back Ilona, Salvatore   
   and Gianni, we hope it will somehow bring some comfort and   
   closure for the families," said Zimmerman.   
      
   According to SDPD Lt. Mike Hastings, the arrest came after   
   investigators and forensic lab personnel developed substantial   
   probable cause to suspect Mercado.   
      
    He said directly after taking him into custody, forensic   
   investigators spent the rest of the night and following morning   
   gathering evidence.   
      
   By late Sunday afternoon, they were ready to present their case   
   to the DA's office, and at 5:30 p.m., the case was formally   
   turned over to prosecutors.   
      
   "As you are aware, once a case is turned over to the DA, the San   
   Diego Police Department no longer makes comment on it," Hastings   
   said.   
      
   Zimmerman admitted she realizes those in the audience were   
   brimming with questions "that we simply cannot answer at this   
   stage in the process," so she asked for everyone's patience   
   until details are revealed in upcoming court proceedings.   
      
   Police have released no information about how they came to   
   suspect Mercado, who was booked into jail on three counts of   
   first-degree murder.   
      
   In an interview with NBC 7 Sunday, Mercado’s defense attorney   
   Michael Berg said his client “adamantly denies any involvement”   
   in the case. The attorney plans to enter a not guilty plea on   
   Mercado’s behalf at his arraignment, scheduled for Wednesday.   
      
   The suspect was hospitalized over the weekend due to an incident   
   that happened while in custody at the jail, and he was treated   
   under guard at UC San Diego Medical Center Sunday, Berg said.   
      
   The case in which Mercado is accused started Dec. 24, 2013, when   
   Flint and Salvatore were found gunned down in a parking lot   
   outside the Macy’s department store in the Mission Valley Mall.   
      
   Flint was pronounced dead at the scene, and Salvatore died a few   
   days later from gunshot wounds.   
      
   At Monday's press conference, Hastings said Homicide Team 1 --   
   made up of four detectives, a detective sergeant, a lieutenant   
   and crime scene specialist -- were the first to arrive to the   
   Mission Valley homicides.   
      
   They soon called in missing persons and robbery detectives when   
   they realized Gianni, Salvatore’s brother and Flint’s fiancé,   
   went missing the same day.   
      
   Gianni's body was found on Jan. 17, 2014 in the trunk of a car   
   in Riverside, about an hour and a half north of San Diego   
   County. He had died from a gunshot to the head.   
      
   While he said he could not comment on particulars of the case,   
   Hastings spoke in general terms about homicide investigations.   
      
   "With the advancement of forensic science, the advancement of   
   social media and the advancement of investigators' knowledge   
   base, all three of these anchors, along with others, are   
   important elements in solving homicide cases," he said.   
      
   He added that any time a firearm is used in a killing, it helps   
   investigators because forensic science has made it simpler to   
   gather clues from guns.   
      
   http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/New-Details-Expected-in-   
   Christmas-Eve-Slayings-Carlo-Mercado-Arrest-264247541.html   
      
   Let general population try this piece of shit and save tax   
   payers the time and money.   
       
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)