THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — A homeless teenager and his accomplice are accused of killing a 26-year-old man in a Bronx park, hours after robbing another man at gunpoint, police said Tuesday.
Luis Alberto Lopez Castillo, 19, and Angel Martinez, 20, were charged with murder, manslaughter, robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with both incidents on Sept. 4, according to the NYPD.
The suspects are accused of gunning down Ronell Marte in Starlight Park near East 174th Street at around 2:50 a.m., according to the NYPD. It was unclear who pulled the trigger.
Marte, who lived a few blocks from the park, was rushed to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest but could not be saved, cops said.
Hours before the shooting, Castillo and Martinez allegedly robbed a 21-year-old man while he was walking near 1410 Beach Ave. and the Cross Bronx Expressway at around 12:30 a.m., police said.
The duo was on bikes when they allegedly grabbed the victim from behind before pulling a gun on him, police said.
“Give me everything,” one of the suspects said.
The other suspect then allegedly punched the man in the face and chest, according to police. The defendants then took the man’s phone before fleeing the scene.
Martinez was arrested on Sept. 18, and Castillo was nabbed on Monday, cops said. Their arraignments were pending on Tuesday.
The motive for the incidents was unclear.
Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She has been with PIX11 News for two years. See more of her work here.
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