Man arrested for Halloween murder
SACRAMENTO — (Dec. 12) Sheriff’s homicide detectives arrested 19-year-old Joseph Raymond Buttelo, 2600 block of Bell Street, in connection with the Halloween murder of Gustavo Lopez.
According to Sgt. R.L. Davis, the sheriff’s spokesman, said that Buttelo was arrested last Friday night after “an extensive investigation and follow up on numerous tips from the community.”
In a media release, Davis stated that investigators believed the murder to be gang related.
On Oct. 31, deputies responded to a call from a gas station/fast food store at the corner of Marconi Avenue and Howe Avenue, regarding shooting victims on the property. Deputies found two gunshot wound victims in a van. The first victim was 18-year-old Gustavo Lopez, suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. Lopez was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The second shooting victim survived.
According to detectives, Lopez and the other victim were passengers in the van and they were accompanied by another passenger and the 19-year-old driver of the van. The group had been driving in the 2700 block of Lerwick Road when they came upon Buttelo and two other subjects who were on-foot. Detectives believed that there had been an exchange of words occurred between the two groups. Sometime during the verbal exchange, Buttelo drew a handgun, firing multiple shots into the van striking both Lopez and the other victim.
Buttelo is currently being held at the Sacramento County Main Jail.
