WASHINGTON -- A fourth suspected has been arrested in connection with the alleged MS-13 killing of Ariana Fuenes-Diaz, a 14-year-old girl from Adelphi, Va.
Edwin Rios,18, from Southeast, D.C., awaits extradition to Prince George's County, police said.
Three others also in custody in connection with the death of Fuenes-Diaz, including Joel Escobar, 17, of Northeast D.C., Josue Fuentes-Ponce, 16, of Bladensburg, Md., and Cynthia Hernandez-Nucamendi, 14, of Lothian, Md.
Escobar, Fuentes-Ponce and Hernandez-Nucamendi were all arrested May 16, and are currently facing first-degree murder charges as adults, police said.
Fuentes-Ponce and Escobar are believed to be members of an MS-13 clique in the county, according to Prince George's County Police.
According to police, Funes-Diaz was found around 10 a.m. on May 15 by cadaver dogs after having been reported missing from a "therapeutic" group home for girls in Anne Arundel County on April 18.
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"Consistently what we’ve seen when we deal with cases involving MS-13 is violence that’s disturbing," Maj. Brian Riley said. "And they’re not afraid to use it on their own, to send a message in some cases.”
Riley said police believe the victim had helped the others with a gang-related kidnapping and robbery with the other teens on April 17 in the District of Columbia.
Police believe the April kidnapping and robbery began in the area of the Benning Road Metro station in Northeast Washington D.C. The group is suspected of grabbing the victim, bringing them to an abandoned home and robbing them.
Riley said investigation showed the other suspects believed Funes-Diaz planned to go to authorities about the D.C. crime, then plotted to kill her.
Probable cause documents showed Hernandez-Nucamendi was originally believed to be a witness, but she was charged after police said she admitted to helping plan the attack.
RELATED: Before she was killed by MS-13, she was reported missing from a Maryland group home for girls
She told police she stood at the entrance of the tunnel, and watched as the two other named suspects stabbed and beat Funes-Diaz. She said the then unknown suspect - now presumably identified as Rios - filmed the murder with a cell phone, according to court documents.
She also told police she watched Fuentes-Ponce wash the bloodied machete in the creek before they walked out of the woods and back to the vehicle, according to court documents. Hernandez-Nucamendi also led investigators to the location of the machete believed to have been used during the attack.
