Jack In The Box Shooting Victim ID'd; Homicide Details Released

EVERETT, WA - The fatal shooting in the Jack in the Box parking lot Sunday was the result of an arranged drug deal in which both parties involved didn't actually plan to sell or purchase drugs but instead planned to rob each other.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner on Tuesday identified the shooting victim as 19-year-old Raul Cuadros. Also on Tuesday, Everett police announced the arrests of two more men involved in the complicated homicide case, one of whom allegedly helped arrange the fateful meetup and the other who participated in the failed robbery attempt.

Previously, Everett police officials said they'd arrested a woman who was suspected of tampering with evidence after the shooting. Court documents obtained by Patch, however, offer more details about the incident, including what role the woman actually played.

According to Probable Cause affidavits associated with the suspects' arrests, both Christopher Ardis Phelps, 28, and Kodi Orion Anderson, 27, currently face murder charges. Brianna Marie Reynolds, 27, is facing charges for theft and tampering with physical evidence.

A third, currently unidentified man, the suspected shooter, remains at large, Everett police said.

Police believe it was Phelps who arranged for Reynolds and Cuadros to buy drugs from Anderson and his accomplice with full knowledge of Anderson's plan to instead rob Reynolds. Following his arrest, Phelps told police he didn't know anything about anything

When Anderson was arrested, however, he told police robbing Reynolds was payback for when she robbed him in a similar fashion before. He also said Phelps helped him arrange to have Reynolds at the Jack in the Box, and that Phelps introduced him to his accomplice for the purpose of effectively conducting the robbery.

While Phelps may have been clued in to what Anderson and his accomplice were planning, despite his statements to the contrary, he was evidently in the dark with regard to the plan concocted by Reynolds and Cuadros. Additionally, it appears Reynolds was unaware it was Anderson who Phelps had arranged for them to meet.

Around 3:30 a.m. Feb. 17, Anderson and his unidentified accomplice met Reynolds and Cuadros at the restaurant. The meeting was reportedly recorded in full by the Jack in the Box surveillance cameras.

Reynolds later told police she recognized Anderson but not his partner, noting Anderson immediately demanded she hand over her purse, which she refused.

Upon Reynolds' refusal, Cuadros reportedly stepped up to intervene between her and Anderson. As Cuadros stepped up, police say Anderson's accomplice raised his waistband to reveal a handgun.

Reynolds and Cuadros turned to walk away as soon as they correctly recognized the situation was spiraling out of their control, police said. Undeterred, Anderson and his accomplice followed them, still demanding Reynolds' purse.

Still in the parking lot, Reynolds turned on Anderson and fired a stream of pepper spray, police said; but Anderson ducked, allowing the mace to strike him harmlessly on the top of his head.

As Reynolds sprayed Anderson, Anderson's accomplice fired his weapon into Cuadros' chest, court documents state. Anderson would later tell police his accomplice said he fired the gun because Cuadros "flinched."

After the shooting both Anderson and his accomplice fled the scene. Reynolds remained, however, and retrieved a revolver from Cuadros' waistband, which she attempted to hide in her purse before police arrived.

Reynolds would later say she knew Cuadros had brought a gun to the meeting, and that she took the weapon because she was scared and wanted to protect Cuadros after he was shot. Police said it's unlikely Anderson or his accomplice knew Cuadros had a weapon.

Because Reynolds had ample time to tell police she had a gun, and because she'd taken it from Cuadros' body, detectives opted to arrest her on suspicion of tampering with evidence.

After they fled, Anderson and his accomplice met up with Phelps, who agreed to help the suspects dispose of their clothes, court documents state. Where Phelps went with the clothes isn't explained, but he was arrested later that same night on unrelated charges stemming from a previous conviction for driving while suspended.

Further, Phelps was arrested while attempting to walk away from the Jack in the Box well after the shooting took place, and presumably after he disposed of the clothes, police said.

(Sign up for our free daily newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Edmonds Patch)

Image via Shutterstock