Tacoma man fatally shot friend because gang leaders ordered him, records say
A Tacoma man fatally shot his friend a week after being released from prison because gang leaders ordered him to do so, according to court documents.
On Tuesday, Pierce County prosecutors charged 27-year-old Manuel Chapa with first-degree murder and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm for Friday’s homicide in the 3900 block of East Portland Avenue.
Chapa pleaded not guilty at arraignment. Superior Court Judge Alicia Marie Burton set bail at $2 million.
The Medical Examiner’s Office identified the 26-year-old victim as Christian Martinez, of Lakewood.
Charging papers give this account:
Police were called to St. Joseph Medical Center about 1:50 a.m. Friday by doctors who reported a shooting victim had been brought in.
Martinez died of a gunshot wound but had suffered previous gunshot wounds in the last month, doctors said.
A security guard pointed Tacoma officers to a van in the parking lot belonging to the victim, and a man and woman who arrived with the victim.
The van had at least three bullet holes in the passenger side, records say.
The woman told detectives she’d been driving the van when they stopped at a convenience store. As she was about to enter the store, she said, gunshots rang out and her friend yelled that they had to leave.
Once inside, she realized Martinez had been shot.
Surveillance footage from the store showed the victim’s van circle the area before leaving, then Chapa arriving and getting out of a sedan. When Martinez’s van returned shortly afterward and parked, Chapa crossed the lot to the van.
“The suspect paused only a moment before pulling a handgun out of his right front coat pocket and shooting into the front passenger area of the victim vehicle,” prosecutors wrote in charging papers.
Martinez’s mother later identified Chapa’s photograph, saying she’d known Chapa since he was 6.
Witnesses told detectives Chapa had recently been released from prison and ordered to kill Martinez because the victim had left the gang.
“... the defendant was put up to this by someone higher in the gang, and that the defendant did not want to shoot the victim because they were friends,” one witness told Tacoma police.
Someone in Martinez’s van the night he died said Chapa told the victim he wanted to see his old friends but gave them “the run around” about where to meet, directing them to five different convenience stores before the shooting occurred.
When they finally connected on East Portland Avenue, “The victim opened the van window and said, ‘What’s up?’ and started to stick his hand out to shake hands when (Chapa) started shooting at him, hitting the victim in the neck,” according to charging papers.
Police learned Monday that Chapa was spotted at a hotel on Hosmer Street, so they put him under surveillance and later tried to pull over his vehicle.
That led to a brief pursuit that ended when Chapa’s car crashed near East 107th Street and Waller Avenue.
Two people were arrested, including Chapa.
When detectives interviewed him about Friday’s homicide, Chapa allegedly denied being involved and said he was high and passed out at the time of the shooting.
“He continued to state he did not shoot the victim, but appeared to be very emotional during his statement,” records say.
Chapa has several prior felony convictions, records say. He was released from prison Sept. 20.
This story was originally published September 29, 2020 at 11:33 AM.
