Wilson Edgardo Gutierrez Mejia, a 29-year-old Hispanic male, was tragically shot and killed in Charlotte, North Carolina, on November 6, 2022. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Central Avenue near Kilbourne Drive. Gutierrez Mejia was found with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was a well-known soccer coach and player in the Charlotte area, originally from El Salvador, and left behind three children—two in Charlotte and one in El Salvador.
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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department launched an investigation into the murder, which led to the arrest of four suspects. Christian Alejandro Garcia Santa Cruz, 29, and Aderly Jose Veliz Ronquillo, 29, were both charged with murder. Additionally, Yeny Beralz Sorto Hernandez, 25, and Mirian Sola Dubon, 32, were charged with felony accessory after murder. The suspects were apprehended in New York and Maryland with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies and were set to be extradited back to Charlotte.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects were allegedly involved with the violent MS-13 gang. Garcia Santa Cruz and Veliz Ronquillo were charged with murder in aid of racketeering activity, as part of the MS-13 clique known as the "Hollywood Locos Salvadorians Clique." The gang's activities included murder, kidnapping, extortion, robbery, and drug trafficking, sanctioned by MS-13 leaders to gain respect within the gang. The federal indictments against the suspects were handed down in a federal court in Charlotte, and the cases are ongoing.
The investigation into Wilson Edgardo Gutierrez Mejia's death remains active, with law enforcement agencies continuing to gather information and pursue leads. The community mourns the loss of a dedicated coach and father, while authorities work to bring justice to his family and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
