On the evening of May 19, 2017, in Yakima, Washington, 31-year-old Emilio Phelan was riding his bicycle near the intersection of West Peach Street and Cornell Avenue. His journey was tragically cut short in a sudden act of violence that would later be described by authorities as a drive-by shooting. An argument had reportedly taken place between Phelan and the occupants of a passing vehicle.
Following the dispute, shots were fired from the car, striking Phelan.
Emergency services arrived to find him with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital for medical attention. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Phelan succumbed to his injuries a short time later. The cause of death was determined to be significant blood loss from the gunshot wound. In the immediate aftermath, police began their investigation into what was the city's ninth homicide of the year. While authorities stated that Phelan was not a known gang member, the affiliations of his assailants were not immediately clear.
The investigation into Emilio Phelan's death continued for months. In a significant development on December 21, 2017, Yakima police arrested a 17-year-old male named Pedro Soliz in connection with the murder. Soliz was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. The case saw further progress nearly ten months after the shooting when a second suspect was identified. Jeramiah Peralez, 20 years old, was named as the driver of the vehicle involved in the fatal shooting. Peralez was already incarcerated, facing a murder charge in a separate case. He faced an additional first-degree murder charge for his role in Phelan's death.
