Two juveniles under the age of 16 are facing capital murder charges in the double slaying of two teenagers, Dallas Police say.
Police said officers were called to a shooting on the 3400 block of Michigan Avenue at about 9:30 p.m. on July 8 and arrived to find two people shot.
Dallas Fire-Rescue arrived and provided emergency medical care, but both of the victims later died.
According to police, two juveniles, ages 14 and 15, were identified as suspects and subsequently arrested. The two suspects are in the custody of the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center, and due to their ages, their names will not be released.
The juveniles are accused of killing 18-year-old Ulises Marcos Ledesma and 19-year-old Janelle Elizabeth Bello, who, according to Ledesma’s family, were in a dating relationship.
The investigation into the murders is ongoing, and police have not said what led them to identify the juveniles as suspects or if there was any connection between the suspects and the victims.
A juvenile convicted of capital murder in Texas cannot be sentenced to the death penalty or life in prison without parole. If certified to stand trial as an adult, the mandatory sentence is life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving 40 years. A juvenile remains in the juvenile justice system in the custody of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department on a determinate sentence. Between the ages of 16 and 19, they would either be transferred to the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to complete their sentence or be released on parole.