On a Friday afternoon, November 10, 2023, the life of Alan Garnica, a 22-year-old Hispanic male from Gaithersburg, Maryland, was tragically cut short. In the 18400 block of Lost Knife Circle in Montgomery Village, gunshots shattered the day's calm. When authorities arrived, they found Garnica suffering from a fatal gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Another young man, an 18-year-old, was also found nearby with critical gunshot wounds and was rushed to a local hospital.
The Montgomery County Department of Police quickly launched a homicide investigation into the violent encounter. The initial search for those responsible continued for over a week before a significant breakthrough occurred. On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, investigators arrested two suspects for their alleged roles in the shooting. The individuals taken into custody were identified as 19-year-old Kenes Yair Guevara and 20-year-old Osman Antonio Maldonado. Both men were charged with first-degree murder for their involvement in Garnica's death and are being held without bond.
The investigation did not conclude with the first two arrests, as detectives continued to pursue leads. This led them to a third individual believed to be connected to the murder. On Thursday, December 14, 2023, the efforts of law enforcement resulted in the apprehension of 18-year-old Rodrigo Hernandez of Gaithersburg. An arrest warrant for Hernandez had been issued two days prior, and upon his capture, he was also charged with first-degree murder. Like the other two suspects, Hernandez was transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit and is being held without bond. While three suspects are now in custody, the specific motive behind the deadly shooting has not been released to the public.
