News Releases

For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 30, 2017

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department-Major Crimes Division have arrested a fifth suspect for the homicide of 18-year-old Cristian Antonio Villagran-Morales that occurred in the Malcolm King Park located at 1200 West Side Drive in Gaithersburg and that was discovered on June 17, 2016.

Jose Coreas Ventura, also known as Josue Corea, age 20, was arrested as a fugitive from justice on Tuesday, March 28, in Bedford County, Virginia. Coreas Ventura has been charged with first-degree murder via a Montgomery County warrant. Coreas Ventura is currently in the custody of the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority awaiting extradition to Montgomery County. Four suspects had previously been arrested and charged with first-degree murder for the homicide of Villagran-Morales.

The four suspects previously arrested:

Juan Gutierrez-Vasquez, age 16, of Queen Victoria Court in Gaithersburg (charged as an adult) - arrested on July 1, 2016
Vanesa Alvarado, age 19, of Lakeworth Drive in Gaithersburg - arrested on July 1, 2016
Oscar Ernesto Delgado-Perez, of an unconfirmed address - arrested on September 7, 2016
Josue Fermin Caudra-Quintanilla, age 18, of Hyattsville, - arrested on February 3, 2017

Detectives consider this homicide to be gang-related; All five suspects are believed to be associated with the criminal gang MS-13, and Alvarado and Gutierrez-Vasquez, upon their arrest, stated to detectives that they believed the victim to be a member of a rival gang.

This homicide investigation is ongoing and therefore additional information will not be released at this time.

RLI