EVERETT — The car matched. The fatal bullets matched. The motive for the killing hasn’t come out yet.
Prosecutors are charging the man police say shot and killed another in the street. It was while a large fight was happening simultaneously in the parking lot of a south Everett billiards place.
Octaviano “Tavo” Vera Hernandez Jr. is being held on
$1 million bail for first-degree murder for the shooting that happened near bar closing time Sunday, March 6 outside 128th Street Billiards. He appeared in court Wednesday, March 30.
Detectives believe Vera Hernandez, 22, chased after the victim onto 128th Street SW before shooting six times in rapid fire. Bullets struck Damien Navarro three times.
Police believe the two men from Everett did not know each other, a sheriff’s office press release announcing the arrest said.
Investigators say Vera Hernandez fired a 9mm pistol at his victim. Police note the gun was what is known as a “ghost gun” as it lacks a serial number. This one was made from a home gun-making kit to mimic a Glock pistol.
Vera Hernandez drove off in an older Nissan, which police followed for a couple of miles and did a traffic stop on.
During the traffic stop, Vera Hernandez said he was at the billiards bar but denied having anything to do with the fight, a police report filed in court said. He played dumb about hearing gunshots, telling officers he maybe heard a car backfiring.
Police impounded the car after he declined consent to search it but released him without a cause for arrest. A search found Vera Hernandez was carrying two home-built guns in the car.
The fight was a highly visible situation, and many people took cell phone video, such as one who filmed from a gas station nearby. Some got video of Vera Hernandez shooting the gun. Multiple different surveillance videos captured the shooting as well as him driving off.
As more evidence came to light in the days after the shooting, law enforcement obtained judicial authority to track Vera Hernandez’s phone. The arrest happened March 29.
Contact reporter Michael Whitney:
michael@snoho.com
or 360-568-4121 x202
