In the quiet evening of November 8, 2018, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace at Lakeside Park on the east side of Tucson, Arizona, forever altering the lives of several families. When the chaos subsided, 21-year-old Matthew Favela, along with two teenagers, 16-year-old Carlos Ross and 16-year-old Amonn Sandoval, lay wounded. Despite the swift arrival of Tucson police and fire departments, and the valiant efforts of a bystander who administered CPR, all three young men succumbed to their
injuries.
The initial investigation by the Tucson Police Department painted a grim picture of a prearranged meeting that spiraled into a fatal confrontation. Detectives determined that Matthew Favela, Carlos Ross, and two other friends had driven to the park to meet with Amonn Sandoval and another unidentified male. In the west parking lot, a brief conversation between the two groups quickly escalated, leading to an exchange of gunfire. Favela, Ross, and Sandoval were all struck, while the two friends who remained in the car were unharmed and immediately called for help. The unknown male who had accompanied Sandoval fled the scene before police arrived, becoming an immediate person of interest in the unfolding triple-homicide investigation.
In the weeks that followed the tragic event, the community was left searching for answers. While the shooting was not believed to be gang-related, the motive behind the deadly encounter remained unclear. The break in the case came in early December 2018, when Tucson police announced the arrests of three teenage suspects. Fifteen-year-old Filomeno Edwardo Flores, 16-year-old Maki Dion Riley, and 16-year-old Aaron Rodriguez were taken into custody and each faced a charge of first-degree murder. The arrests brought a measure of resolution to the investigation, though the profound loss for the families of Matthew Favela, Carlos Ross, and Amonn Sandoval remains.
