On a spring evening in Des Moines, Washington, what began as a simple transaction turned into a fatal encounter for Carl David Phelps Jr. The 41-year-old Caucasian male was in the parking lot of an apartment complex on May 6, 2016, with two bicycles, intending to sell one. An argument erupted between Phelps and a group of teenagers, escalating quickly and violently. In the ensuing confrontation, Phelps was shot and killed.
The investigation into the death of Carl Phelps Jr.
led police to two 15-year-old suspects. The alleged shooter was identified as Alexander Crisostomo. According to police, the altercation began with a verbal dispute, after which one of the teens pushed Phelps off a bicycle. Crisostomo reportedly told investigators that Phelps then punched him, causing him to panic and fire a gun he had stolen two weeks prior.
Crisostomo was arrested and charged with murder, with the court deciding he would be tried as an adult. He entered a plea of not guilty, and his bail was set at $1 million. A second teenager, Chris Martinez, was also implicated in the events leading to the shooting. He faced charges in juvenile court for burglary and the theft of a gun and a car. Martinez pleaded guilty to these charges and was sentenced to time served and probation. The tragic incident left the family of Carl Phelps Jr. grappling with the sudden and violent loss of a loved one.
