On Monday, June 28, 2021, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed two counts of Murder in the First Degree against Francisco I. Montero for the March 2018 gang-related shooting deaths of two teenage girls outside a Burien apartment complex.
One of the victims was just 13, the other 19.
Both were shot and killed outside a large apartment complex at 1101 SW 139th Street in Burien on March 28, 2018.
When Deputies arrived around 8:30 p.m., they discovered two victims unresponsive on the ground just north of building #7:
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- Elizabeth Juarez, 13
- Eveona Cortez, 19
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office said that Juarez died after being shot twice – once in the back of the head and once in the back of her left thigh. Cortez was killed from being shot four times – once to the abdomen, once behind her left ear and twice in her left leg.
The Juarez family also released the following statement about this tragic incident:
“It has been a heavy burden to my family to lose Elizabeth but a sense of relief that those responsible will be held accountable. Today is about justice for Elizabeth and Eveona. We lost two beautiful young women to act of violence that affected our families and extended families and the young lives that witnessed this unfortunate tragedy.
“We want to thank the King County investigators and the Prosecutor’s office for making sure that the lives of Elizabeth and Eveona mattered. My family would also like to thank Latino Civic Alliance for supporting our family during the last 3 years during this difficult time.
“This is now a time for healing and new beginning for our family and the Burien community. Our family also believes that King County should provide family supportive services that make a real difference to help the community and to inspire our youth that they can achieve their dreams.”
Here’s more info from the charging documents:
At the scene, detectives from the King County Sheriff’s Office collected 19 fired 9mm caliber casings and 7 fired. .45 caliber casings.
While processing the scene, detectives noticed that there was a lot of gang graffiti or “tagging” in or near the apartment complex. For instance, the south and west walls of the Buena market – which borders the apartment complex and is in close proximity to where the victims were shot – were covered with gang related graffiti including “ULK,” (with the UL x’d out), “Serio Killa” (with Serio x’d out), and “SSL iii ox3,” Prosecutors say that from their extensive gang training and numerous investigations that the tag “SSL ox3” is claiming membership in South Side Locos (“SSL”), a Sureno street gang. The tag “ULK” with the UL x’d out means “United Lokotes Killer,” and the crossing out of the “UL” portion shows disrespect to United Lokotes (“UL”), a known Sureno street gang, and is a considered a threat.
Detectives claim that both victims were associated with known street gangs – Cortez was associated with Callejones Escondidos Surenos (“CES”), known by the moniker “Esa Dowxer,” and Juarez with the South Side Locos (“SSL”) and known by the moniker “Lil Oxe.”
Montero was living at the apartment complex with his girlfriend at the time of the murders.
Prosecutors say that Juarez had been tagging up the apartment complex for about a month prior to the shootings, and that she had specifically been targeting Montero and the ULs, and had tagged the hallway of his building after learning that he was living there.
Shortly before the murders, victim Juarez was live streaming on Facebook while hanging out in and around the apartment complex drinking, talking and playing music. During the course of her livestream, victim Juarez identified herself as “Lil Oxe” and displayed the SSL, and the crossed out UL taggings.
A witness who was walking near the victims when they were shot said they saw a red laser light on the wall behind them, then heard gunshots. A handgun with a laser on it was later confiscated from Montero’s apartment via search warrant.
In a video Montero filmed at a memorial for the victims he is alleged to have stated: “Man, shows the repercussions when you f*%king with. a G man, you already know what it is, UL,..”
“These charges are the result of a long and dedicated investigation by the King County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Burien Police Department,” the Prosecutor’s office said. “We will continue to work closely with the KCSO detectives that are investigating Mr. Montero’s accomplices to these crimes.”
Montero is already in jail for a murder he committed (along with four of his associates) in April of 2017 in direct retaliation for the shooting of a fellow gang member.
Montero’s arraignment will be July 12 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
