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Four people have been charged in connection with the murder of a man who was house-sitting a Millcreek area apartment.
On May 29, Unified police found the body of Gildardo Toledo, 32, at an apartment at 875 W. Meadowbrook Expressway. Though police initially had no suspect information, prosecutors have now charged four people — Richard Lawrence Trujillo, 27, Alisha Hope Moore, 28, Francisco Ricky Garcia, 34, and Sarah Marlen Ortiz, 24 — with allegedly hatching a plot to rob Toledo. All four were charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with first-degree felony counts of murder and aggravated robbery.
Trujillo, who is suspected of shooting Toledo, also was charged with obstructing justice, and purchase, transfer, possession or use of a firearm by a restricted person, which are both second-degree felonies.
Ortiz also was charged with obstructing justice.
In late May, Toledo was staying at the apartment of a woman with whom he'd had a child, while she and the child were out of town, said Lt. Justin Hoyal.
After Toledo's family had not heard from him for several days, one of the woman's relatives went to the apartment on May 29 and found his body inside. Officers responded that evening.
Neighbors said that a sliding glass door at the back of the apartment had been open for four days, and several people reported hearing gunshots about 4 a.m. on May 25.
Toledo's cell phone showed multiple calls and texts with Ortiz during the early morning of May 25, with the last call at 3:55 a.m., according to the charges.
Detectives found more messages that were sent from Toledo's phone, but Moore had allegedly sent those, the charges add. Moore told the police that she was with Toledo and had used his phone to talk to her friends.
Moore later left the apartment, and Garcia told the police that he and Ortiz were at a hotel when Moore arrived and said she wanted to rob Toledo, according to the charges. Someone called Trujillo and they all allegedly made a plan to have Moore return to the apartment first, then for Ortiz to arrive and open the back door, the charges add.
Moore allegedly went back to the apartment, and Ortiz followed. A few minutes later, Trujillo and Garcia allegedly came rushing through the back door.
"Trujillo pulled out a .45-caliber handgun and racked a round in the chamber," the charges read. "Trujillo pointed the gun at Mr. Toledo who attempted to grab the gun and began to fight with Trujillo."
At some point, Garcia allegedly grabbed a glass bottle and threw it at Toledo, and Trujillo shot him. Moore, Ortiz, Trujillo and Garcia then allegedly fled the apartment in a vehicle.
"Garcia went on to say that while in the vehicle, Ortiz removed the SIM card from her phone and broke it," the charges read, adding that "Trujillo and Ortiz hid the gun in some bushes. The next day Trujillo retrieved the gun and sold it."
Police found a .45-caliber bullet and empty shell at the crime scene. They also found a broken glass bottle near Toledo's body.
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