Prosecutors Charge Jonathan Bello-Sanchez with Murder at 16th Avenue Richfield House

Jonathan Tadeo Bello-Sanchez, a 21-year-old, a Richfield resident, faces one count of second-degree murder in charges resulting from the June 8, 2013 Richfield shooting death of Fernando Leon-Celis, 20, that prosecutors will present at a Tuesday afternoon news conference. 

Related at Richfield Patch: 

• Richfield Home the Site of Shooting; One Dead
• Police: 16th Avenue Shooting Under Investigation
• Police Identify Victim of Richfield Shooting

Complainant, Joseph Ogren, of the Richfield Police Department, has investigated the facts and circumstances of this offense and believes the following establishes probable cause:

This investigation has revealed that on or June 8, 2013, Richfield Police Offices were dispatched to a residence at 69th and 16th Avenue South in Richfield, Hennepin County, Minnesota, in response to an initial call that there was a person with a gunshot wound. Upon arriving, Responding Officers observed two males through the front window of the home, inside the residence, one on a phone. Officers directed both males to exit the home. The first male who came out of the residence was later identified as JONATHAN TADEO BELLO-SANCHEZ, DEFENDANT HEREIN. DEFENDANT was immediately taken into custody. The second individual was later identified as FRED BELLO-SANCHEZ, the Defendant’s brother, who was directed out of the home and was arrested.

Officers entered the home and observed a deceased Known Adult Male, DOB: 11/1/1992, located in the kitchen in the southwest corner of the kitchen who appeared to be bleeding and Officers believed he was deceased. Officers attempted to administer CPR, which was not successful and then, the house was secured and a perimeter was established.

Officers recovered a .22 caliber pistol in a case located near the front door of the home in the living room. The gun was processed by crime lab and the magazine contained in the gun was in its firing position, there was a round in the magazine that was not cycled into the chamber of the gun and the end of the barrel and slide were covered in blood, consistent with pistol whipping the victim, which officers later determined occurred.

 In a Post-Miranda Scales interview, Fred Bella-Sanchez reported that he had arrived home from work to this residence, when he observed the Known Adult Male, approaching the home, and walk into the house. Moments later, Fred Bella-Sanchez approached the door, but determined that the door was locked, so he could not gain entry. While he was attempting to make entry, he heard some gunshots. He continued to try and get in the locked door when his brother, JONATHAN TADEO BELLO-SANCHEZ, DEFENDANT HEREIN, came to the door and told him, “”Don’t come in. You don’t want to see this. Call the police.” Eventually, Fred Bella-Sanchez did walk into the residence and observed the Known Adult Male, hereinafter referred to as Victim lying on the kitchen floor and he appeared to still be breathing. THE DEFENDANT said call 911, which Fred Bella-Sanchez did and advised dispatch that there had been a shooting. In turn, the dispatcher inquired about whether weapons were present and he said his brother had the gun and dispatch said put it in a case until officers arrived, which Fred Bella-Sanchez did. Fred Bella-Sanchez stated that the Victim bullied John all the time. Fred Bella-Sanchez said he knows his brother owns a gun, but that he always has it stored away, because the DEFENDANT did not want Fred Bella- Sanchez to know where it is located. Fred knew it was a .22 caliber revolver.

In a post Miranda Scales interview, DEFENDANT admitted that the Victim called him and told him, “I’m here, “referring to being present outside the Defendant’s residence, right before the shooting occurred. The DEFENDANT admitted that he let the Victim into his residence. The Victim came to the door, DEFENDANT let him in the home and told him he did not owe him anything. The DEFENDANT stated that the Victim punched him, in the face and so, the DEFENDANT punched the VICTIM back. Then, the DEFENDANT stated that the Victim “went for the DEFENDANT’s gun which was in the Defendant’s front right’s pocket. As the Victim was “digging in the pocket,” DEFENDANT pulled the gun out of the pocket himself; so, he pulled the gun out himself, racked a round, took the safety off and shot a round into a bag in the garage. But, then, he shot multiple times at the VICTIM.

Officers confirmed that the only weapon recovered from the residence was the Defendant’s 22 caliber gun. Officers observed a great deal of blood on the barrel of it.

Before the shooting, while standing outside near the door that the Victim had entered, Fred Bella-Cruz could hear the sounds of a scuffle, like furniture being moved.

Medical Examiner Staff responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation and determined that the Victim had been shot nine times: once in his head through the left eye, two gunshot wounds to the upper chest and torso, two to back lower left leg, one to the left of the buttock, one to right front hip, one to the left rear hip and one more to the back. The Medical Examiner determined that the gunshot wound on the Victim’s eye had soot around the left eye consistent with the gunshot to the left eye having been shot at close range, and the Victim had multiple lacerations to the left side of his face consistent with having been repeatedly struck with the barrel of the gun. The Associate Medical Examiner compared the size and shape of the barrel of the handgun to the injuries on the left side of the Victim’s face and determined that those injuries to the left side of the Victim’s face were caused by the barrel of the handgun being repeatedly struck on the Victim’s face. Medical Examiner also determined that there were four gunshot wounds that entered from the back of the Victim.

Officers did not observe any injuries on the Defendant’s face at the scene or at the time of booking or any injuries to the Defendant.