Teen faces murder charge after his alleged accomplice was shot dead during robbery

A 17-year-old boy is facing a murder charge after his 16-year-old alleged accomplice was fatally shot by one of their victims as the duo allegedly attempted to rob a group of teenagers of their marijuana vape cartridges, police said.

Because Fernando Sandoval Jr., 17, and Marc Garcia-Allred, 16, were allegedly in the process of committing the robbery when Garcia-Allred was shot, Sandoval is now facing a charge of open murder, even though he didn’t shoot Garcia-Allred. Sandoval also faces other charges including robbery with a deadly weapon.

“Generally speaking, yes, if you and a group of folks work together to either conspire and/or aid and abet each other, and during the commission of that crime, a homicide occurs, you will be charged with murder,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said.

Sandoval and Garcia-Allred allegedly lured the teens to the area of Studio Street and Catino Avenue, near East Craig Road between North Lamb and North Nellis boulevards, on Sept. 29, a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report said.

‘In fear for his life’

According to police, none of the victims targeted in the 10:25 p.m. confrontation, which spiraled into a gunbattle, were charged.

The Metro arrest report stated that the teen who shot Garcia-Allred “was in fear for his life” when he shot Garcia-Allred and “believed (Sandoval) posed an immediate threat to him and feared (Sandoval) would now shoot him” before he got into a gunfight with Sandoval while running away from the scene.

Wolfson said Sandoval is being charged in adult court.

“This is what is called a direct file, meaning if somebody is a juvenile who’s charged with murder, they don’t go through a certification process,” Wolfson said. “It comes directly to adult court.”

Sandoval’s lawyer, Matthew Stromenger, declined to comment.

Because of the many redactions in the arrest report provided by Metro, it was difficult to clearly ascertain all of the circumstances.

But according to the report, while Sandoval and Garcia-Allred held the alleged victims, who were in a vehicle, at gunpoint, Garcia-Allred is alleged to have either pulled, or attempted to pull, a chain from one victim’s neck.

Garcia-Allred reportedly pistol-whipped the teen, and the teen then shot Garcia-Allred, the arrest report says.

After hearing the gunshots, the driver of the alleged victims’ vehicle, a Nissan Altima, started driving away. The teen who shot Allred-Garcia, who was by this point outside of the car, was left behind.

The teen got into a gunfight with Sandoval while running away from the scene, the report states. He fell and Sandoval continued to shoot at him.

Sandoval then went to Garcia-Allred, who was on the ground, police said, and carried him to a Dodge Charger, putting the teen into the vehicle.

The alleged victims’ vehicle came back to pick up the other teen.

Multiple shots fired

Sandoval shot at the vehicle, the report says.

“From the review of the scene, detectives learned that the Nissan was struck multiple times, as well as several occupied residences in the immediate area placing all occupants in immediate risk of bodily harm,” the report states.

According to the report, a ShotSpotter used by Metro alerted police to the sound of 17, two, and then four shots fired. ShotSpotter uses strategically placed sensors in a given area to detect gunfire and then alert police.

The Charger dropped off Garcia-Allred at North Vista Hospital. Officers responded to the area of the shooting and the hospital after the three ShotSpotter alerts, in addition to other calls reporting the shooting, in case any victims arrived at the hospital. They detained Sandoval.

Another person who was with Sandoval and Garcia-Allred in the car was also detained, but it appears this person may not have known what was going to transpire, and was not charged.

Garcia-Allred was transferred to University Medical Center, where he died.

Contact Brett Clarkson at bclarkson@reviewjournal.com.