On a summer evening in east Vancouver, what began as a simple transaction in a parking lot turned deadly for Armando P. Valencia, a 34-year-old Hispanic male. It was August 21, 2021, when Valencia had arranged to meet a man to purchase a set of speakers. The meeting took place in a parking lot located at 2715 N.E. 138th Ave., a seemingly ordinary setting for what would become a tragic event.
As Valencia waited in his car, another vehicle, a blue Honda Civic, pulled up alongside him.
Inside were two men, one of whom was later identified as Luis Perez-Mejia, who was 24 years old at the time. A brief but fatal exchange occurred when the men in the Honda Civic questioned Valencia about his gang affiliation. In response, Valencia showed them a hand symbol. Following this gesture, Perez-Mejia rolled down his window further, revealing a revolver, and fired multiple shots at Valencia.
Witnesses at the scene reported hearing the gunshots and seeing the blue car speed away from the parking lot. When Vancouver police officers arrived at 6:13 p.m., they found Valencia with a fatal gunshot wound to his chest. The man who had arranged to buy the speakers from Valencia was a key witness and later identified Perez-Mejia from a photo lineup as the shooter.
The investigation led police to serve a search warrant on Perez-Mejia's car, where they discovered two firearms. One of the guns, a revolver, matched the description provided by the witness and had been previously reported as stolen. Perez-Mejia was subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of Armando P. Valencia. In court, it was revealed that the shooting stemmed from a mistaken belief that Valencia was a rival gang member. In March 2023, Luis Perez-Mejia pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for the senseless killing that devastated Valencia's family, who remember him as a kind, respectful, and empathetic man with a big heart.
