Kennewick murder suspect, driver plead innocent in deadly gang-related shootout
Three people suspected of involvement in two Kennewick homicides were back in court on Friday.
The two people accused of last week’s gang-related shooting in downtown Kennewick pleaded innocent Friday.
Prosecutors charged Ramon Candido, 27, with second-degree murder for killing Ezekiel Sanchez, 25, during a gang-related shootout.
The woman accused of driving the car during the shooting, Beatriz Terrazas, 23, is charged with witnessing a crime and not reporting it — a gross misdemeanor.
The two appeared in Benton County Superior Court on Friday afternoon after prosecutors filed charges late Thursday. Candido’s trial is set for June 13.
They are both being held in the Benton County jail — Candido on $1 million and Terrazas on $10,000 bail.
The two were in a Chrysler Pacifica when Candido allegedly opened fire on a Kia Sorento shortly before 5 p.m. at the the intersection of First Avenue and Dayton Street.
Terrazas’ 4-year-old daughter was in the car at the time.
One of those shots hit Sanchez in the head. The man driving the Sorento sped to a Kadlec Emergency Room at the corner of 19th Avenue and Highway 395 and dropped off Sanchez.
Police caught up with the suspects on Monday evening after piecing together video showing the shooting and chase through east Kennewick before the two vehicles went different directions.
Sanchez had been released in March 2021 after spending seven months in jail in connection with another gang-related murder in 2019.
He was seen on video as one of three men who followed behind two teens eventually charged with the gang-related killing of Andrea Nuñez, 20, who was pregnant and walking with her boyfriend.
Hector Munguia
Hector Munguia also appeared in court Friday after first-degree murder charges were filed against him on Thursday.
His defense attorney asked to delay the hearing to Monday, May 4
Judge Joe Burrowes agreed.
The 18-year-old remains in Benton County jail in lieu of $1 million bail.
He is accused of stabbing his neighbor Zale Underwood several times outside of his Gum Street home. He then ran away, leaving behind the bloody knife.
Munguia turned himself into the Benton County Sheriff’s Office on Monday and allegedly admitted to detectives that he stabbed Underwood, though officials have not said if he talked about what led to the confrontation.
This story was originally published April 29, 2022 at 5:33 PM.