RSSShooter sought in year-old Wapato slaying
Detectives allege suspect's mother drove him, another boy on a hunt for a rival gang targetYakima Herald-Republic
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WAPATO, Wash. -- Nearly a year after a Wapato youth was fatally shot less than a block from home, authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a 19-year old man they believe was the shooter.
The warrant charging Delfino Juan Benson with first-degree murder and attempted murder was filed Monday in Yakima County Superior Court. Benson has recently been dividing his time between homes in Wapato and Union Gap, authorities say.
On Friday, sheriff's detectives arrested a Union Gap woman, her 19-year-old son and a 13-year-old Wapato boy in connection with the Nov. 18 shooting of 16-year-old Ricky Cabrera. They are being held on pending charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder.
Maria Cabrera said her family is finally beginning to feel some relief as the investigation into her son's death wraps up.
"It's about to be a year later," she said in an interview Monday evening. "Everything seems to be going backwards. You begin to relive everything."
The case had a major break last week when a witness came forward with new information, said Stew Graham, chief of detectives for the Yakima County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators say witnesses told them that the 45-year-old mother was driving the group around the Wapato on Nov. 18. According to the arrest report, they were looking for gang rivals to attack in retaliation for another fatal shooting in Sunnyside.
The group stopped in the 4500 block of North Track Road when they spotted Cabrera and a friend, walking to a convenience store near the Cabrera home.
Investigators say Benson opened fire, hitting Cabrera. He died at Toppenish Community Hospital.
The arrest report suggests that the attackers recognized Cabrera's friend as a rival gang member.
Cabrera's relatives acknowledge that his brothers are involved in gangs, but they say they had tried to keep Cabrera from the lifestyle.
Graham said at least some of those arrested had been interviewed in the earlier stages of the investigation.
Benson is 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 pounds.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts may call the sheriff's office at 509-574-2500.
* Yakima Herald-Republic reporter Melissa Sánchez contributed to this report.
* Mark Morey can be reached at 509-577-7671 or mmorey@yakimaherald.com.
"...witnesses told them that the 45-year-old mother was driving the group around...they were looking for gang rivals to attack in retaliation for another fatal shooting in Sunnyside."
I'm shocked that a mother would drive her son and his friends around looking for someone to shoot. Such a thing proves that the gang life is generational in some cases. For sure, SHE should suffer severe consequences as an accessory to first degree murder.
Look for him with relatives in Mexico, would be my guess - especially with so much notice of his pending arrest.
NICK...HOW BOUT LOOKING IN YOUR BACK YARD IDIOT!!!!! the kid looks Mexican but he's Native...stupid what have you got against Mexicans...just come out and say it!!!!
Report ViolationInnocent until proven guilty in the court of law. The story sounds sketchy. These or this guy probaly don't even know any body in Sunnyside. If he really did do it thats too bad for him. I talk to a person who went to prison and he told me that young guys who kill people then go to prison aren't tough at all compared to the guys in there. Justice will be served some how. A person done wrong to one of my family members is doing 20 years for something else they did. Ya so, whatever.
Report ViolationNick. Benson is a Yakama name. Sorry dude, but you need to let up on the Mexicans.
Report Violationpshhh, Everyone on the streets knew it was this sorry kid Delfino and his cousin. SO SICK about the mother driving him around UGHH!!! disgusting.. Native boy trying to live the life of a thug yet hides behind mama!! Pathetic. NICK I would love to see you talking your smack in a room full of Native and Mexicans..
Report ViolationNick, if you are not from around this are, then you need to know that there is a great mix of natives and hispanics. So this kid is native and is an enrolled memeber. Basically all "RACES" are gang members, "WHEATHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!" So give the Hispanics a Rest. I am Native & Hispanic, but the other races always come down on the Hispanics, I have always wondered why that is. Maybe you know the answer to that one. One thing I do agree with you is that "SHE NEEDS TO GET THE FULLEST SENTENCE LIKE TWO LIFE SENTENCES WITHOUT PAROLE- THIS LADY IS EVIL AND I HAVE SEEN WHAT SHE HAS DONE TO INNOCENT PEOPLE!" Everyone who knows her family and that last name is a married name only. She is not a Cordova she is from the WAPATO AREA. She is messed up in the head, taking her kids to kill others. While she was always crying wolf that she was the victim. While she was accusing others of trying to hurt her, she was the one putting innocent people in jail and making those mothers suffer and the children also. So do not let this lady try to fool you all, those of us who know her, we all know that she has head problems. Like I said it before and I will say it once again "IT IS BECAUSE A CERTAIN FAMILY WOULD NOT ACCEPT SOMEONE IN HER FAMILY AND SO SHE JUST STARTED MAKING PROBLEMS FOR THIS FAMILY: WELL ALL KNOW WHO THEY ARE: NOW THEY CAN MOVE ON WITH THEIR LIVES AND LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST. THE WICKED WITCH IS GONE AND WILL BE GONE FOR A LONG TIME."
Report ViolationI can see why Nick would assume this punk is a Hispanic, since 98% of the gang crimes reported in Yakima are from Hispanic offenders. But, my question is, this kid tied to the killings/shootings at the Benson home in Brownstown during a stupid party held during the Yakama Treaty Days celebration? Phil Pherolito never did do a follow up story on the killing/shooting that took place at this party. And also, why wasn't the owner of this home, charged for operating a party located past the boundaries of the reservation where no booze is tolerated. Is this the same parent of this punk? I guess we will find out once he is arrested. Glad they are finally charging for the murder.
Report ViolationUnfortunatley "Nick" is ALWAYS dissing on the Latino's, Native American's...except himself. I used to write on these things regularly and all I read were comments made by "Nick" and always sounding racial....YH seemed to allow it..so I stopped reading the YH. I came back to see if anything changed..."Nick" is still up to his racial profiling, racial name calling, etc. Some people on here [*wink wink) are just plain ignorant and blind. They act like they are so perfect when I'll just bet they aren't able to cast the first stone. And I am referring to this one particular person who's been on these boards for a long time and has no life...will sit behind his computer and start mouthing off and talking smack about the Latino's/Hispanics and Native American's. Gang's are in every race, but not according to the old @#$% on here...its only the Latino's. He really needs to get a girlfriend...or boyfriend, whatever his preference is....and get a life!
This person she calls herself 'mother' that drove the group of kids around Wapato....is not a real 'mother'. A real mother just wouldn't do that to her own child or anyone else's! I agree...she should be held accountable and prosecuted.
Sid - My back yard is FULL of gangers, as is my side yard, my other side yard, and my front yard. I am sick to death of gangers, 98% of which are Hispanic in this area, and their presumption to overrun and take away our community.
Reitzm - Benson is an anglo name, which he could have if his mother married an anglo as well. Something wrong with that?
5thunders - I have never talked smack about American Indians, I have actually defended many of their issues, nor do I speak ill of LEGAL Hispanic Immigrants or natives of Latino heritage, only illegals. Also, Illegals include MANY races, not just Hispanics, so just who is doing the "profiling" here, me or you. I have referred to them all, wherever they are from, as the criminals they are. Nothing racist in that. However, American Indians are some of the biggest racists I know, next to some in every other minority as well. Case in point: Just who were the original sponsors of the last petition to require that non-tribal members working on the rez would be assessed a special "guest worker" fee of 50 cents an hour and would require guest worker permits? TWO YAKAMA TRIBAL MEMBERS. Most of this issue was focused on the Hispanic labor that is being hired by farmers on the rez, instead of Indians. Talk about racist!
By the way, there is one issue that is nothing but a Politically Correct accommodation. I don't buy the "Native American" crap you are so anxious to claim. American Indians are no more native American, or less so, than I am. They may have been here before the white man came, and even that is in question by recent archeological findings, but otherwise, they migrated originally from Asia and south of our border, depending on which tribal lineage you want to acknowledge. I was born here, you were born here - that makes us BOTH "native" Americans. Furthermore, this IS America, and its citizens are referred to as Americans, regardless of their heritage.
Mz - I'm well aware, and have often said, that all gangs are not Hispanic. However, in this area, 98% of them are. Besides, if this kid is mixed race Hispanic and American Indian, then what is wrong with recognizing his Hispanic side? Frankly, I don't care what he is - he is a ganger punk, and so are the rest of his family, according to this article.
1mgh - I never "dis" on anyone, unless they are immoral, or criminals, both of which seem to go hand in hand. You people are so hung up on "race" issues that you must be racist yourselves to even THINK that I am racist. Every time anyone mentions a problem that involves someone of an ethnicity except white, they are automatically racist. I guess I should just say that all whites are racists, is that what you want to hear? I really don't care what color or ethnicity someone is as long as they obey the laws like I do. The issue here is one of breaking the law - not of race. Quit trying to deflect the point of the subject by calling out the race card when it doesn't even apply.
Tis is to the YHR..how bout putting a lid on Nick for a while...the issue here is the mother driving around with her kids to kill other kids...and he always makes it racial...how bout it YHR, really some of us want to comment on the real issues without making it a single race issue...if he's tired of it then move or do something besides talking smack in an anonimous blog!!!!
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