Charges Against Velasquez Are Dropped

Murder charges against Armando Velasquez, a former baseball standout at Wilmington Banning High, were dropped Thursday.

Velasquez, 18, was given the news at a fitness hearing at Long Beach Juvenile Court.

“Several witnesses have come forward since the filing and identified a different murderer,” Mike Mallano, prosecuting attorney, said. “Obviously, this arrest is something we wish we could have avoided, but we felt we were justified in making it when we did.”

Mallano said the new suspect had not been arrested as of Thursday afternoon.

Velasquez was arrested April 21 for the murder of 24-year-old Martin Cuebas, who had been shot in the stomach near a park in Wilmington on Dec. 4. Velasquez spent two weeks in jail before being released on his own recognizance May 6. He was under house arrest until Thursday.

Velasquez, a starting first baseman on the Banning baseball team the last two seasons, was allowed to finish his senior season and graduated last month. He plans to continue his baseball career at Harbor College.