Two teens arrested in taxi cab driver murder

The Somerton Police Department said two teens have been arrested in connection to the murder of a local taxi cab driver.

SPD said during the investigation, information was developed leading to the identification of two suspects, a male and female, both juveniles. Officers said through the course of the investigation evidence of the crime was collected identifying both suspects as being involved.

Wednesday at approximately 6:30 a.m., acting on an attempt to locate issued by SPD, officers from the Cocopah Tribal Police located a stolen vehicle which the suspects were believed to be driving. When the officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspects fled. After a short pursuit by Somerton and Cocopah Police Departments into Somerton, both suspects were taken into custody without incident.

Azucena Silva Silva said the suspects and her family’s lives are ruined.

“It gives us comfort, but now that I’m speaking to one of my sisters, we’re thinking that it’s just pitiful. It’s aggravating, the way things turned out to be and the way he was murdered. We were also talking about how they are so young and have ruined both their lives and ours,” said Azucena Silva Silva.

Crazy 8’s Cab Co. said the call came from a female, who did not want to identify herself. She claimed she was calling for a friend, who she also would not identify.

“Literally as he got up to walk out we told him to call in and he said ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’,” said Mario Rodriguez, owner of Crazy 8’s Cab Co.

Detectives said they worked diligently and were able to make an arrest in this homicide investigation in two weeks from the date of occurrence. SPD said the suspects’ names and photos will not be released due to both suspects being juveniles. Both juveniles will be booked on one count of first-degree murder each, and they both face the possibility of being charged as adults.

On Tuesday, July 31 at approximately 6:39 p.m., officers from the Somerton Police Department were called to the area of Highway 95 at milepost 16 in response to a report of a deceased person.

Upon arrival, officers located an unresponsive man lying a short distance off the roadway in the desert area who had suffered at least one gunshot wound. The man was identified as Guillermo Sotelo of San Luis, Mexico. Sotelo had been reported missing the day before. He was a driver for Crazy 8’s Taxi Company and was last believed to be en route to Somerton to pick-up a passenger.

Crazy 8’s Cab Co. is collecting donations for Sotelo’s family.