Suspects In Fatal Shooting Of Ice Cream Vendor Identified

AUSTIN, TX — Police on Tuesday identified the three suspects now in custody in connection to the shooting death of an elderly ice cream vendor in North Austin in June.

Adelaido Bernabe Urias, 68, was fatally shot after being robbed outside an apartment complex at 9210 Northgate Blvd. around 3:10 p.m. on June 23, police previously confirmed. At the time, Urias was pushing his ice cream cart in selling his wares at $1.50 a pop, an officer said at a news conference on Tuesday. Urias succumbed to his injuries ten days after being shot, according to police.

Three men have now been arrested in connection to the incident, police said Tuesday. The suspects were identified as Jermaine Jones, 20; Devlon Wardy, 19; and Marquis Davis, 18. Police said three capital murder warrants were obtained ahead of the arrests. A fourth suspect who was driving the getaway vehicle is still at large, police noted.

Police said the three were arrested by members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force. Davis was arrested on an unrelated aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge days earlier, police noted, while Jones and Wardy were located on Monday afternoon. The three now are being held at the Travis County Correctional Complex with bail for each set at $1 million, police said.

Previous coverage

• 3 Arrested In Killing Of North Austin Ice Cream Vendor
• Ice Cream Vendor Shot In North Austin Dies At Hospital
• LULAC Offers $10K Reward In Austin Ice Cream Vendor's Killing
• Reward Now $14K For Tips On Ice Cream Vendor's Death In N. Austin

A detective who spoke to reporters via a remote news conference on Tuesday said police have worked the case every day since the shooting/robbery occurred. He acknowledged the investigation faced delays as potential witnesses were hesitant to come forward with information in fear their immigration status might be revealed. The detective took time to assure residents that immigration status is never asked of witnesses in the throes of an investigation, adding that he has never done so in his five years working at the police department.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched after the ice cream vendor's death to help defray funeral costs and related expenses, raising more than $62,000 of an original $10,000 goal at last check.
On the page, Urias's niece wrote he had worked 17 years at various spots across Austin selling frozen treats as a way of economically sustaining his family in Mexico. "Everyone around the area knew him as a very cheerful and loving human being.," she wrote of her deceased uncle, who was something of a fixture as he pushed his ice cream cart across the city.

In response to a question from Patch, the officer said a sizable reward for information leading to arrests was not collected. Following the man's death, several groups contributed to form the reward coffers that soon grew to $24,000. LULAC and the Austin Greater Crime Commission each contributed $10,000; Austin Cops for Charities pledged $2,000; the Austin Police Association and Amigos en Azul each pitched in $500; and Crime Stoppers offered a separate $1,000 reward.

The detective said the reward is still up for grabs for anyone with information leading to an arrest of the fourth suspect who remains at large.

>>> Editor's note: GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner