Turnpike Shooting Suspect In Custody

At least one of four suspects held on federal drug charges is believed to have fatally shot a family found dead along Florida's Turnpike two weeks ago, the sheriff said Friday.

Sheriff Ken Mascara would not identify which one of the suspects is believed to have shot Jose Luis Escobedo, 28, Yessica Guerrero Escobedo, 25, and the couple's sons, Luis Julian, 4, and Luis Damian, 3. But he told The Associated Press that it appeared those responsible for the killings were in custody.

Earlier at a news conference, he said the four suspects were arrested Wednesday on unrelated drug charges, but were now "persons of interest" in the killings. They had not been charged with the killings, he said.

He identified them as Lianna Lopez, 18, of Greenacres, and West Palm Beach residents Daniel Troya, 23, Danny Varela, 26, and Ricardo Sanchez, 23. All the suspects have lengthy criminal records, including arrests for burglary, drugs and weapons possession.
Drug Enforcement Administration spokeswoman Jeannette Moran said the four were charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and made their initial appearances in federal court Friday in Fort Pierce.

The Escobedo family's bodies were found Oct. 13 in a grassy area off the turnpike near Port St. Lucie, about 100 miles north of Miami. They were about 50 miles from their home.

Mascara said the investigation quickly led them to believe this was a deliberate act on the family for drugs, money or both. He said Jose Manuel Escobedo, the brother of Jose Luis Escobedo, was involved in a significant heroin distribution organization and is a fugitive believed to be hiding in Mexico.

Mascara said authorities do not believe the killings were linked to the brother's criminal history.

"We do not believe it was a revenge killing," he added.

Lisa Salazar, a cousin of Yessica Escobedo's in Texas, she said she did not recognize any of the names of the persons of interest.

Investigators believe the Escobedo family's Jeep was pulled to the side of the highway and that someone inside the vehicle shot the family and drove away. Authorities have said the victims appeared to be lying down or kneeling when they were shot. The woman was clutching her two sons in an apparent effort to protect them.

The bodies were reported by a passer-by who spotted them along the highway. The family's Jeep was found abandoned 70 miles south in West Palm Beach three days after the killings.

The family had moved to Greenacres in June from the Brownsville, Texas, area, where authorities were also interviewing witnesses and chasing down leads.

At least seven state, local and federal law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation.