Suspect in Moses Lake deadly drive-by shooting arrested in Beaverton; 3rd suspect turns self in

An 18-year-old suspect linked to a drive-by shooting in Moses Lake, Washington, was arrested early Friday morning at a Beaverton apartment, as confirmed by the Washington County Sheriff's Office. The shooting, which occurred on March 21, resulted in the death of a 14-year-old and left four others injured.

Matthew Valdez was taken into custody around 2:30 a.m. and is currently held in Washington County, awaiting extradition. This incident has drawn significant attention from law enforcement, highlighting their commitment to addressing violent crime in the region.

In addition to Valdez, another suspect, an unnamed teen, was apprehended on March 24 at a hospital in Richland, Washington. The third suspect, 20-year-old Jose Beltran-Rodriguez, surrendered to authorities on March 27 in Redding, California. He faces serious charges, including first-degree murder.

The Moses Lake Police Department and the U.S. Marshals have prioritized this case, emphasizing the need to bring all responsible parties to justice. Authorities executed a search warrant at a Spokane residence connected to Beltran-Rodriguez on March 27 as part of the ongoing investigation.

Beltran-Rodriguez is suspected of being affiliated with the Norteños, a transnational criminal gang linked to drug trafficking and violence. The fate of the investigation now rests on the successful resolution of the outstanding warrants related to this case.