13-year-old girl among 5 charged in possible gang-related murder

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Monday, December 24, 2018
13-year-old girl among 5 charged with murder at Queens park
Derick Waller has the latest on the murder at a park in Far Rockaway.

FAR ROCKAWAY, Queens -- A 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy are among five suspects charged in the murder of a man in Queens, New York.

Ian Cruz, 23, was found dead inside Bayswater Point State Park in Far Rockaway on December 15th. Officials say Cruz was wearing only underwear and socks when his body was found.

Police also arrested Elmer Guttierez, 18, Yonathan Sanchez, 22, and Carlos Guerra, 18. They were all charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon.

Cruz was shot multiple times in the head, court documents reveal. The arrests were made in a shared bedroom in Far Rockaway, where a .22 caliber revolver and more than 900 live rounds of ammunition were recovered.

Police say surveillance video at the crime scene connected to the suspects to the killing.

Guttierez is being held at $500,000 bail. The others are being held without bail.

Police are investigating whether the murder is gang-related. Investigators say it has the hallmarks of an MS-13 style killing.