A second man has been charged with murder in the November shooting death of a man on Bridge Streett.
Jonathan O. Gomez, 23, of Philadelphia was charged Thursday with second-degree murder in the Nov. 24 slaying of 30-year-old Jose Sanchez on Bridge Street.
Alexis Rodriguez, 35, of Crane Street was charged in December with second-degree murder in Sanchez’s death.
Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney has said the shooting could be traced back to a $250 debt. The origin of the debt was unclear, he said in December.
Carney said Thursday that Gomez was a person of interest from early on in the case. He declined to comment further.
At nearly the same time Sanchez was shot, his brother, Victor, 28, also of Bridge Street, was stabbed, but survived. Neither Rodriguez nor Gomez are charged in the stabbing.
Neighbors on the street said they heard 10 to 15 gunshots around 7 p.m. that evening from what sounded like a semi-automatic weapon or machine gun. Police confirmed several shots were fired.
Gomez was arraigned Thursday and ordered held. The overall investigation continues.
Rodriguez‘s arrest came several days after authorities alleged they were stymied in getting access to Jose Sanchez’s cellphone. They accused his brother of impeding them, and Victor Sanchez was charged in December with first-degree hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence, both felonies.
According to papers filed in court, police believe Victor Sanchez came into possession of his brother’s unlocked cellphone, programmed a security lock on the phone and refused to give police the code. Authorities have said Victor Sanchez is not suspected of having any involvement in his brother’s death.
Categories: -News-, Schenectady County
