Mexican triple killer Carlo Mercado case goes to DA

[Flush Brown Down]

The triple homicide case that baffled San Diegans since last
Christmas Eve has officially been turned over to the San Diego
District Attorney's Office, San Diego Police officials said
Monday.

During a brief press conference, SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman
started by officially announcing the arrest of a suspect, 29-
year-old Carlo Gallapo Mercado.

After a six-month investigation into the slayings of Ilona
Flint, Salvatore Belvedere and Gianni Belvedere, Mercado was
taken into custody Friday night in his Mira Mesa driveway.

"Although the arrest of this violent individual and the upcoming
aggressive prosecution will never bring back Ilona, Salvatore
and Gianni, we hope it will somehow bring some comfort and
closure for the families," said Zimmerman.

According to SDPD Lt. Mike Hastings, the arrest came after
investigators and forensic lab personnel developed substantial
probable cause to suspect Mercado.

He said directly after taking him into custody, forensic
investigators spent the rest of the night and following morning
gathering evidence.

By late Sunday afternoon, they were ready to present their case
to the DA's office, and at 5:30 p.m., the case was formally
turned over to prosecutors.

"As you are aware, once a case is turned over to the DA, the San
Diego Police Department no longer makes comment on it," Hastings
said.

Zimmerman admitted she realizes those in the audience were
brimming with questions "that we simply cannot answer at this
stage in the process," so she asked for everyone's patience
until details are revealed in upcoming court proceedings.

Police have released no information about how they came to
suspect Mercado, who was booked into jail on three counts of
first-degree murder.

In an interview with NBC 7 Sunday, Mercado’s defense attorney
Michael Berg said his client “adamantly denies any involvement”
in the case. The attorney plans to enter a not guilty plea on
Mercado’s behalf at his arraignment, scheduled for Wednesday.

The suspect was hospitalized over the weekend due to an incident
that happened while in custody at the jail, and he was treated
under guard at UC San Diego Medical Center Sunday, Berg said.

The case in which Mercado is accused started Dec. 24, 2013, when
Flint and Salvatore were found gunned down in a parking lot
outside the Macy’s department store in the Mission Valley Mall.

Flint was pronounced dead at the scene, and Salvatore died a few
days later from gunshot wounds.

At Monday's press conference, Hastings said Homicide Team 1 --
made up of four detectives, a detective sergeant, a lieutenant
and crime scene specialist -- were the first to arrive to the
Mission Valley homicides.

They soon called in missing persons and robbery detectives when
they realized Gianni, Salvatore’s brother and Flint’s fiancé,
went missing the same day.

Gianni's body was found on Jan. 17, 2014 in the trunk of a car
in Riverside, about an hour and a half north of San Diego
County. He had died from a gunshot to the head.

While he said he could not comment on particulars of the case,
Hastings spoke in general terms about homicide investigations.

"With the advancement of forensic science, the advancement of
social media and the advancement of investigators' knowledge
base, all three of these anchors, along with others, are
important elements in solving homicide cases," he said.

He added that any time a firearm is used in a killing, it helps
investigators because forensic science has made it simpler to
gather clues from guns.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/New-Details-Expected-in-
Christmas-Eve-Slayings-Carlo-Mercado-Arrest-264247541.html

Let general population try this piece of shit and save tax
payers the time and money.