Final suspect charged in February murder

  A felony complaint was filed Wednesday against the final suspect arrested in a fatal gang-related shooting Feb. 14, charging him with murder.

  Jesse James Galindo, 17, was charged with five felonies: first-degree murder, participating in a criminal street gang, assisting a criminal street gang and two counts of threatening and intimidating in the death of David Duran.

 Duran, 18, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest after a disturbance at the Yuma Palms shopping center.

  "This defendant is the individual who instigated the fight at the mall that resulted in David Duran's death," said prosecutor Karolyn Kaczorowski.
  According to the Yuma Police Department investigation, a fight broke out among several apparent rival gang members shortly before 8:30 Valentine's evening at the Yuma Palms Regional Center in front of Harkins Theatre .

  The disturbance moved to the area behind Pac Sun, where Duran was shot. He made his way to the front of the business before succumbing to his wound. Duran was transported to YRMC, where he was pronounced dead.

  According to Yuma police, Galindo, who recently turned himself in Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center on unrelated charges, was the final suspect they expect to arrest in the case.

  Kaczorowski also asked the judge to set a high bond amount on Galindo, saying he was a flight risk given he had been sought by police the past 10 months.

  "We anticipate going no bond when the case goes to Superior Court," Kaczorowski said.

  After the judge set Galindo's bond at $1.8 million, Kaczorowski asked that it also be made a cash bond, which the judge agreed to.

  Galindo, who is being prosecuted as an adult in the incident, was transferred to the Yuma County jail Tuesday afternoon from the juvenile jail where he had been held on a probation violation.

  Galindo was arraigned before Justice of the Peace David Cooper, who also set his next court date, a preliminary hearing, for Feb. 3 at 4 p.m.  

  Jose Moreno, 16, is also being prosecuted as an adult in the shooting and is the only other defendant facing a murder charge.

  Moreno has been charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count each of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault and participating in a criminal syndicate.

  The incident also led to numerous follow-up arrests by YPD of reputed gang members who were also involved in the disturbance.

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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.