By Dustin Brown
Police arrested a 17-year-old girl and were searching for two men in the gang-related shooting death of a waitress on Roosevelt Avenue last month, authorities said.
Maria Vivar, 22, of 39-14 61st St. in Woodside, had been returning home from her job as a waitress on July 30 when she was gunned down at the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 64th Street at 3:54 a.m., shot once through the chest, police said.
She died on the street corner before medical crews could bring her to the hospital.
Police sources said Vivar knew her assailants and was killed because she had refused to join their gang, according to published reports.
Augustina Lopez of Elmhurst was arrested Friday and charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the case, police said. She was taken into custody one day before her 17th birthday.
Lopez was arraigned Friday before Judge Pauline Mullings in Queens Criminal Court and held without bail, a spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Police are still two searching for two alleged accomplices in the murder and have turned to the public for assistance.
“It’s senseless,” said Sgt. Michael Blangiforti, the commanding officer of the 108th Precinct’s detectives squad. “It was a senseless shooting and that’s why we have the best detectives in the world working on it and we’re going to get these guys.”
All three suspects are believed to be affiliated with the Mexican gang known as M18, which frequents the neighborhoods of Elmhurst and Corona, Blangiforti said.
The two suspects police were searching for were Jose Martinez, also known as Miguel Martinez, an 18-year-old Hispanic male, 5-foot-5, 155 pounds, with black hair usually worn in a ponytail; and Geraldo Morales, also known as Roberto Bautista, a 20-year-old Hispanic male, 5-foot-4, 130 pounds, police said.
“They should be considered armed and extremely dangerous,” Blangiforti said.
Blangiforti advised people who see Martinez or Morales on the street to immediately call 911.
Anyone with information about the case should call 1-800-577-TIPS.
Reach reporter Dustin Brown by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 154.
