Man is arrested in slaying of Marine
Mexican authorities have arrested a reputed gang member in connection with the April shooting death of a U.S. Marine outside a strip club in San Bernardino, police said.
Arturo Perez Medina, 22, a U.S. citizen, was found hiding in a home in Tijuana and taken into custody Sunday by Mexican federal police, according to the San Bernardino Police Department. He was booked on suspicion of murder in the death of Douglas Rivas-Rauda, police said.
The shooting occurred just after 2 a.m. April 17, in the parking lot of Flesh Club Showgirls. Rivas-Rauda and other Marines were patrons at the club that night.
Rivas-Rauda, 20, was the group’s designated driver.
He was standing outside his vehicle waiting for his friends when Perez Medina approached him, pulled out a handgun and shot him, officials said. Perez Medina and three other men fled the area before police arrived.
Authorities identified all four attackers as known San Bernardino gang members. Three were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. But police were unable to find Perez Medina. They later learned he had fled to Mexico. After his arrest, Perez Medina was returned to San Bernardino.
Authorities said RivasRauda did not know his suspected killer.
According to RivasRauda’s Facebook account, he was an infantry machine gunner at the Marine Corps base in Twentynine Palms.