In the early morning hours of May 14, 2018, a grim discovery was made in a quiet University Place neighborhood in Washington. Nineteen-year-old Hispanic male Adrian Valencia-Cuevas and 22-year-old Wilberth Lopez Acala were found lifeless inside a white Dodge Charger parked on 63rd Street West. A neighbor, noticing the two men motionless in the car, alerted the authorities around 5:30 a.m. When Pierce County sheriff's deputies arrived, they found both men had been shot in the head.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later ruled both deaths as homicides.
Investigators found bullet casings both inside and outside the vehicle, suggesting a violent encounter. Despite the gunshots, law enforcement had not received any reports of gunfire in the area. Initially, the motive was unclear, though detectives stated the murders appeared to be "drug-related." The crime did not seem to have any connection to the residential area where the two men were found.
The investigation quickly gained momentum when surveillance footage surfaced showing two possible suspects fleeing the scene. This crucial piece of evidence led investigators to identify Alex Lopez Leon, 30, and Javier Valenzuela Felix, 30, as the men involved. In June 2018, Valenzuela Felix was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. A few months later, in September, Alex Lopez Leon was also charged with two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Valencia-Cuevas and Lopez Acala.
According to statements made by Lopez Leon to detectives, he, Valenzuela Felix, and the two victims had been driving around and firing a gun. He claimed that Valenzuela Felix, who was in possession of the firearm, shot the front passenger, later identified as one of the victims, in the head. Valenzuela Felix then allegedly ordered the driver to find a place to dispose of the body. Upon reaching the location on 63rd Street West, Valenzuela Felix is said to have shot the driver. After the shootings, both Lopez Leon and Valenzuela Felix climbed out of the car's windows and ran. Lopez Leon told investigators he was unaware of the motive for the killings. Bail was set at $2,000,000 for Valenzuela Felix and $5,000,000 for Lopez Leon.
