2 arrested for murdering grandpa in front of 4-year-old in Fresno County

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two gang members accused of killing a 52-year-old Calwa man on Easter Sunday have both been arrested.

Alejo Armenta was murdered execution style - with his four-year-old grandson standing just feet away from him.

Now his family has a little bit of closure after learning the suspects have been arrested.

Police believe 24-year-old John Chavez and 19-year-old Andrew Guillen murdered the beloved grandfather.

They say this all started after the suspects allegedly followed two of Armenta's family members home from a convenience earlier in the day.

According to police, the gang members were trying to intimidate the two females and two children.

After Armenta's family members got home, authorities say the suspects then came back about an hour later in the same green SUV, turned the lights off and parked in front of the home in the middle of the street.

That is when two suspects walked up to Armenta and shot him several times in the upper torso and his head.

"He was a family man, a loving father and grandpa, a neighborhood mechanic, worked on bicycles in the neighborhood for people for free and was loved," said Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.

Police say that green SUV was found in Easton where they believe the suspects attempted to burn it.

They also found a firearm and are doing ballistic tests to determine if it was used in the murder as well.

Both Chavez and Guillen have been charged with murder and booked into the Fresno County Jail.

Authorities say after placing both men into a cell for questioning for this investigation, both Chavez and Guillen began to violently beat another suspect in the cell.

Police say that victim was taken to the hospital and is expected to be ok.

Also, the photo of Chavez shows him smiling right after he was charged with murder on Thursday.