In the early evening of March 4, 2023, the intersection of Spruce Street and Lanier Avenue in Pascagoula, Mississippi, became the scene of a violent shooting. When police responded to reports of gunfire, they discovered 25-year-old Miguel Vasquez-Cruz, a Hispanic male, deceased at the scene. Two other individuals were also found with injuries.
The Pascagoula Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the shooting, identifying 32-year-old Jerbert Burgos-Cotto as the primary suspect in what was now being investigated as a homicide. Authorities publicly declared Burgos-Cotto as 'armed and dangerous,' initiating a manhunt for his capture. The investigation also led to a second person of interest, Silkia Lopez. In the days following the shooting, a second victim, identified as Bryan Franco Sanchez, also succumbed to his injuries.
A significant breakthrough in the case came on March 9, 2023, just five days after the fatal shooting. Acting on information, the Mobile County Special Operations Interdiction Unit, in collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol, conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 10 in Mobile County, Alabama. In the vehicle were Jerbert Burgos-Cotto and Silkia Lopez. Both were taken into custody without incident.
Following their apprehension, Burgos-Cotto was charged with the murder of Miguel Vasquez-Cruz. Silkia Lopez faced charges of accessory after the fact to murder. Both suspects were held at the Mobile County Metro Jail as they awaited extradition to Mississippi to face the charges against them. Pascagoula police indicated that further charges could be pending as their investigation continued.
