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News Release
Victim of Homicide Identified

February 13, 2009

Detectives from the Lakewood Police Department have identified the victim in a homicide case which occurred in their city late Wednesday evening.

The body of 19-year-old Salomon Adolfo Mendoza was found in the trunk of a vehicle after it crashed into a barricade in the area of I-25 & Santa Fe. The vehicle was being pursued by police from Lakewood and Denver after it was seen leaving an apartment in the 200 block of South Ingalls Street. Lakewood police were responding to the apartment after being advised by a man that there had been gunfire at the residence.

Three suspects, two men and a woman were arrested at the end of the pursuit and have been booked into the Jefferson County Jail. Both men face charges of first degree murder and the woman faces charges of being an accessory and felony eluding.

Police believe that Salomon was shot at the apartment following an argument between several parties that had gathered there, and that the shooting was gang related.

At least one of the suspects was scheduled to make his first appearance in court this morning at 10:00 am.