In the pre-dawn hours of February 8, 2025, a quiet street in South Omaha, Nebraska, became the scene of a sudden and tragic loss. Pedro Velazquez, a 60-year-old Hispanic male, was out walking his dogs, a familiar routine that took a fatal turn. As he walked near 28th and Y Streets, he was accosted by two individuals with the intention of robbing him. In the course of the confrontation, Velazquez was shot in the head.
First responders, alerted by a 911 call of an unspecified nature just before 5 a.m., arrived to a grim discovery. Firefighters already at the location directed police officers to Velazquez's body, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial days of the investigation left the community searching for answers. The Omaha Police Department launched a homicide investigation, appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the apprehension of those responsible. The senseless act of violence had taken a beloved member of the community, leaving his family, including his wife who found him on the sidewalk, devastated. Friends and family remembered Velazquez as a happy and perpetually smiling man who worked at Tyson Foods. An online memorial allowed loved ones to light virtual candles and share memories of a man described as "hermano pedrito".
After nearly three weeks of intensive investigation, a breakthrough came in the case. On February 28, 2025, the Omaha Police Department announced the arrests of two teenagers, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, in connection with the murder of Pedro Velazquez. The suspects were identified as Matteo Timothy, the alleged shooter who was already on juvenile probation at the time of the incident, and Cavon White. Both teenagers were charged as adults with first-degree murder and were ordered to be held without bond. The stated motive for the deadly encounter was robbery. The case against one of the teens was later transferred to juvenile court with reduced charges.
