JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A mother was arrested and her son is still sought after the murder of 7-year-old Heidy Rivas Villanueva, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Monday.
Police arrested Kezia Holmes, but are still looking for her son Edward Garcia (both pictured above).
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Investigators said Holmes, 50, was arrested for tampering with evidence. She was the owner of the Nissan that appeared in surveillance stills according to the arrest report.
The report said her son drove to the IHOP restaurant to pick up Abrion Price and Devonte Phoenix just as the shootout erupted. One of the slugs fired by Stanley Harris struck the windshield. The arrest report goes on to say, when Garcia got home, Holmes was only concerned about her son, even after a witness said Phoenix told her “I think we just killed a girl.”
Holmes took the car to a repair shop on Cassat Avenue to get the windshield replaced. Jacksonville police went to the place, and recovered the windshield with the bullet hole in it, according to the report.
Holmes is now free on bond.
Garcia, 28, has an active warrant for accessory after the fact, according to the Sheriff's Office.
News4Jax spoke to Holmes' ex-husband Monday night, who said Holmes and Garcia moved out months ago.
News4Jax went to Holmes' apartment for comment, but no one answered the door.
Police are hoping a tip from the public will lead them to Garcia. Anyone who knows his location is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
Young girl's life lost to violence
Heidy and her father were in a car with a younger child at the 103rd Street strip mall, waiting for Heidy's mother to finish grocery shopping, when bullets started flying.
Police said a bullet entered the family's vehicle and struck Heidy in the head. She died at the hospital.
Stanley Harris III, Trevonte Phoenix and Abrion Price were all arrested after the young girl's death.
Thirteen shots were fired as a result of what was apparently a planned robbery in the parking lot of the IHOP restaurant, according to police. Phoenix and Price arranged the setup over social media under the pretense of a gun sale, Sheriff Mike Williams said.
Harris, a friend of the buyer, served as a lookout in another car as the deal went down, police said. When guns were drawn, he exchanged shots with Phoenix and Price as they ran away.
At his first court appearance on the shooting charges, Price was ordered to be held without bond. He will be arraigned Sept. 6.
Phoenix, 17, and Price, 19, are charged with felony murder because they were in the commission of a crime when Heidy was hit by the bullet that killed her. Price is also charged with possession of a weapon or ammunition by a felon. Phoenix will be prosecuted as an adult, State Attorney Melissa Nelson said.
Harris, 21, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, but additional charges were expected to be added.