Pasco man admits to helping in Lewis Street killing, he faces 9-year sentence
A 21-year-old Pasco man admitted to his role in killing a man in the backyard of a Lewis Street home.
Antonio Larios Jr. was one of three gang members accused in an April 29, 2020 shooting that left Luis “Oso” Contreras, 29, dead and two others wounded.
He was one of the first caught by U.S. Marshals and Pasco police detectives in early May just hours after police went public with the names of the suspects.
Larios pleaded guilty during a Tuesday hearing to first-degree manslaughter, second- and third-degree assault as well as illegally possessing a gun.
He had been initially charged with second-degree murder and two counts of first-degree assault.
Prosecutor Shawn Sant said they believe Larios helped brothers Miguel A. “Terco” Montalvo and Juan M. “Scars” Montalvo with the shooting. Sant said he showed up on the scene armed with a 9mm pistol that he was seen dumping the pistol.
Larios faces a range between about nine and 12 years in prison when he’s sentenced later this week. Prosecutors plan to ask for the minimum end of the range.
Larios was arrested before the Montalvo brothers went on a shooting spree that ended with a shootout with Pasco police. Juan Montalvo died and Miguel Montalvo was wounded but survived.
Miguel Montalvo pleaded guilty to 15 crimes last October, including trying to kill two Pasco officers. He was sentenced to nearly 50 years in prison.
Lewis Street Shooting
Larios and the brothers carefully planned the April 2020 shooting — down to the location of security cameras and what direction they were pointed, detectives said at the time.
Witnesses said the three men arrived when two men were in the backyard fixing a fence. An argument broke out and then the shooting started. Witnesses reported hearing 10 or more gunshots, according to the court documents.
Contreras was killed and two others wounded. A witness told investigators she saw Juan “Scars” Montalvo open fire.
Miguel Montalvo and Larios were caught on camera dumping the guns.
Larios was arrested in early May 2020 in Granger, Wash., but the Montalvos were on the run for 2 1/2 weeks before returning to the Lewis Street home. They kicked in the front door in an apparent attempt to kill the witnesses, said investigators.
They again opened fire on several people at the home, hitting two and leaving a mother, father and young child running for their lives, documents said.