In the quiet community of Moses Lake, Washington, the life of 22-year-old Hispanic male Ardo Feliz Benavidez Jr. was tragically cut short on November 12, 2023. Benavidez was the victim of a drive-by shooting that occurred in the 400 block of Linden Avenue, near Montlake Park. When law enforcement arrived at the scene just before 3 p.m., they found Benavidez deceased outside his vehicle.
Two other individuals were also wounded in the attack, with one requiring airlift to a hospital for treatment.
The investigation into the homicide led the Moses Lake Police Department to identify and arrest several individuals. Just days after the shooting, on November 16, a 17-year-old male was taken into custody and booked into the Chelan County Juvenile Detention Center. He faced serious charges, including first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, drive-by shooting, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Further investigation led to more arrests in connection with the case. Three young men from Moses Lake were also taken into custody. Juan M. Gonzalez, 20, was charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance and intimidating a witness. Eduard Avalos, 19, and Jorge Barcenas-Lozano, 19, both faced charges of first-degree criminal assistance. The incident was described by the U.S. Marshal's Service as appearing to be a gang-related shooting.
A significant breakthrough in the case came in August 2024, when 18-year-old Christopher Valle-Maciel was apprehended in Riverside County, California, by the U.S. Marshal's Service. Valle-Maciel was sought on suspicion of first-degree murder, first-degree drive-by shooting, and two counts of first-degree assault in connection with Benavidez's death. Authorities had been actively searching for him and were in the process of extraditing him back to Grant County to face the charges. Prior to his capture, the U.S. Marshals had offered a reward for information leading to his arrest, considering him to be armed and dangerous.
