5 P.M. UPDATE:
Three people have been arrested in connection with the case involving the murder-for-hire shooting of a local man outside of Tool Dynamics last month, a killing apparently caused by jealousy over the victim’s relationship with his girlfriend.
Columbus police were sent to the company at 835 S. Marr Road the night of Feb. 26 where they found Leobardo Rodriguez Flores, 37, of Columbus, who was dead from a gunshot wound to the head, police said.
The Bartholomew County Death Investigation Team, which consists of representatives from the Columbus Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office was activated to investigate, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
After a lengthy investigation, officers arrested Abraham Jimenez Cesareo, 35, of 2207 Seventh St., and Eladia Jacobo-Ortiz, 34, of 895 S. National Road, Apartment 31, on preliminary charges of conspiracy to commit serious bodily injury, a Level 5 felony.
Cesareo is being held in lieu of $507,500 bond in the Bartholomew County Jail. Ortiz is being held at the jail in lieu of $500,000 bond.
As a result of the investigation, an arrest warrant for murder was obtained by detectives for Eliel Avelar, 31, of Midlothian, Illinois, Harris said. Avelar was arrested by the U.S. Marshal’s Office at a hotel in Chicago on Tuesday and is being detained in Cook County, Illinois.
Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting said Flores died Feb. 26 from a gunshot wound to the head. The Columbus Police Department later released information that Flores was shot in the face. Flores worked at Tool Dynamics and CE Systems and spent his summers working for Nading Farms, according to his obituary.
The night of the shooting, the victim’s car, which was running, was found with no one inside seven blocks away from where the body was discovered, according to the probable cause affidavit. Flores’ silver-colored 1998 Honda Civic was discovered in the parking lot of La Guanajuato Grocery and Restaurant at 2710 State St.
For more details about how the shooting occurred, according to court documents, see Thursday’s Republic.
ORIGINAL STORY
Three people have been arrested in connection with the case involving the murder of a local man outside of a local factory in February.
On the night of Feb. 26, Columbus police were sent a shooting at Tool Dynamics, 835 S. Marr Road. There, they found Leobardo Rodriguez Flores, 37, of Columbus who was found dead after suffering a gunshot wound to the head, police said.
The Bartholomew County Death Investigation Team, which consists of representatives from the Columbus Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office was activated to investigate.
After a lengthy investigation, officers arrested Abraham Jimenez Cesareo, 35, of Columbus and Eladia Jacobo-Ortiz, 34, of Columbus on preliminary charges of conspiracy to commit serious bodily ijury, a Level 5 felony. Both are being held in the Bartholomew County Jail on a $500,000 bond each.
As a result of the investigation, an arrest warrant for murder was obtained by detectives for Eliel Avelar, 31, of Midlothian, Illinois. Avelar was arrested by the U.S. Marshall’s Office at a hotel in Chicago on Tuesday afternoon. He is currently incarcerated in Cook County, Illinois.
Local law enforcement officers have traveled to Illinois in regards to this ongoing investigation.
For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.
