On March 23, 2023, at approximately 6:13 p.m., Amarillo police responded to a shooting in the 4000 block of Neuches. Upon arrival, officers discovered 17-year-old Juan Angel Simental, Jr., who had been shot during a robbery. Simental was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and succumbed to them on March 27, 2023.
Investigations led to the arrest of two suspects: 17-year-old Lamar Tirson and a 14-year-old male whose identity was withheld due to his age.
Both were initially charged with aggravated robbery. Following Simental's death, the charges were elevated to murder. Tirson was booked into the Potter County Detention Center, while the 14-year-old was placed in the Youth Center of the High Plains.
A criminal complaint revealed that surveillance footage captured the suspects approaching Simental's vehicle. One suspect partially entered through the passenger window before retreating, after which Simental attempted to drive away. The suspects pursued the vehicle until it crashed into a fence. An AR-15 style ammunition magazine was found on the passenger floorboard of Simental's car.
Simental, a resident of Muleshoe, Texas, was born on June 26, 2005, in Clovis, New Mexico. He was a senior at Muleshoe High School, anticipating graduation in May 2023. He is survived by his parents, Juan and Maria Luisa Simental, and his sister, Leslie.
