Three suspects in the July 4 shooting death of 3-year-old Jorge Azios turned themselves in to authorities this evening.
Gabriel Quintero (pictured), 20, was booked into Sacramento County Jail, and the other two suspects, ages 16 and 17, were booked into Sacramento County Juvenile Hall, all on suspicion of murder.
Sheriff's spokesman Deputy Jason Ramos said the 16-year-old turned himself in about 5 p.m. and the other two came in over the next couple of hours.
"I think the heat just got to be too much for them," Ramos said.
After the Sheriff's Department publicly identified the suspects over the weekend, Ramos said, "their names and faces were out there."
Because of the nature of the crime, they faced particular animosity from the community, he said.
Young Jorge Azios was shot and killed the night of July 4 while riding in a vehicle with his father at the intersection of Loucreta and Palmer House drives in south Sacramento. Ramos said investigators believe that Quintero and the two juveniles were in another vehicle, and that they confronted the child's father in the vehicle he was driving and fired multiple gunshots into the vehicle killing the youngster.
Ramos declined to discuss a motive for the shooting. With the three suspects in custody, he said detectives will reinterview people who might have been reluctant to talk when the suspects were still at large.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the sheriff's homicide bureau at (916) 874-5115.
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