Slaying suspects identified with help from OKC’s camera network
Three Guymon residents have been charged with first-degree murder after a police investigation identified and tracked their getaway vehicle with the help of surveillance cameras.
According to an affidavit filed this week in Oklahoma County District Court, the trio were seen at a casino and gas station the same day as the slaying, riding in the same white Dodge Ram pickup that was seen near the crime scene a few hours later.
The homicide occurred on Nov. 27, when two people walked up to a parked van on Harris Avenue near NW 8 Street. A nearby surveillance camera recorded the sound of five gunshots. After police responded to the scene, they discovered 47-year-old Matthew Brooks in the driver’s seat of the van.
Brooks was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police canvassed for surveillance video in the area and learned that after the shooting, the two men ran back to the Dodge Ram, got inside and drove away. To obtain the truck’s license plate, police used its network of Flock surveillance cameras, which are located throughout the city and automatically read license plates.
Documents filed in court revealed that police believe the trio left Guymon that morning and headed toward Oklahoma City, but stopped at the Sugar Creek Casino in Hinton and a gas station in Watonga, where they were seen on more surveillance cameras. The suspects’ phone records reportedly backed up details police learned during their investigation.
The investigation discovered the truck was registered to Jose Avelar-Martinez, 28, of Guymon. Using a combination of clues, detectives learned that a second individual seen with Avelar-Martinez that day was Jose (Chavel) Resendiz, 22.
The third suspect, 20-year-old Eric Triana, wasn’t identified until he opened the door for police serving an arrest warrant for the other two. According to the affidavit, police believe Triana was driving the truck at the time of the killing. Oklahoma City police spokesman Dillon Quirk confirmed to The Oklahoman that Avelar-Martinez and Triana were both taken into custody and are awaiting extradition to Oklahoma County.
Resendiz has not yet been found.
Over the past year, Oklahoma City has expanded its use of automated license plate reader cameras from Atlanta-based company Flock Safety. In July, 65 additional cameras were installed, adding to the 25 that were already installed.
Police also have used Flock cameras to identify vehicles involved in other crimes, including a convenience store robbery spree this month where the suspect drove a red Chevrolet Avalanche. In that investigation, detectives were able to find images of the same pickup taken by a Flock camera three weeks before the robberies and use that information to identify the suspect.