The Montgomery Police Department has charged an 18-year-old man with two counts of capital murder in a June 4 triple homicide at a local grocery that shook the community.
Police identified Jarques Butler as a suspect in the triple homicide that killed George Elijah, Jr., 50, Daniel Lopez, 20, and Romero Lopez, 43, all of Montgomery, MPD Maj. Saba Coleman confirmed. Officers have not clarified which men Butler is charged with killing.
The shootings happened after what leaders described as a robbery at a Troy Highway business called Tienda Los Hermanos. It was part of a string of at least five robberies targeting Latino businesses in the area that keep a large amount of cash on hand, said Felix Montelara, an advocate in the community.
More: Previous Coverage String of robberies leads to triple homicide in Montgomery, leaders say
At about 1:39 p.m. Tuesday, the police tried to make contact with Butler in the area of East Fifth Street, but he fled on foot. Officers as well as the Alabama Law Enforcement Aviation Unit located Butler and arrested him, Coleman said.
Butler is in the Montgomery jail without a bond. Police did not immediately release any other information.
Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser’s public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or on Twitter @gladlyalex.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Teen arrested in triple homicide at Hispanic grocery in Montgomery