There was a murder in Bella Vista Toledo early on Saturday morning. A gunman stormed into a home at 3:00 am - where a couple was sleeping with their child. He fatally shot the father, while the mother was wounded protecting their young child. I went to Bella Vista today where I found out that there may have been drug business involved:
Neighbors were startled awake to the sound of gunshots and screams coming from this wooden house at the corner of the dead end in the Bella Vista village. Not knowing that 24 year old Nirgen Ceron had been fatally shot, and his common law wife Nickey Logan received injuries as well while shielding her baby girl.
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Investigation reveals that both were in a house when a male person entered with a firearm and fired several shots towards him causing the fatal injuries to Ceron and the injuries to Logan. We are seeking one person from Bella Vista in regards to this murder investigation."
Courtney Menzies:
"Was it a burglary attempt?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"No, the person entered the house which was open and he fired the shots."
Reporter:
"How was the mother injured?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"She received gunshot injuries. They were together in the house, the person fired shots towards them."
Courtney Menzies:
"Reports are that she was trying to protect her child."
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Yes, she had a child and she protected the child and she received several injuries."
Courtney Menzies:
"And the child wasn't injured?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"The child was not injured."
Reporter:
"Her condition at this time, did you say?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Yeah, she is stable."
The couple had just moved to the area and had not been living here for more than a month when tragedy struck. And according to one neighbor Ceron had gotten into a dispute with another resident recently.
Courtney Menzies:
"So he was targeting them, any reason?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"The information we gathered is that he had rivals with other persons in the village and that is what led to the shooting."
Voice of (Neighbor of Deceased)
"I know the guy as a cool guy but yes I heard some conflict that he got caught in in the village and I am not sure what resulted to his death but maybe that's why. But I heard one of the persons say its the second time he has beaten up somebody, and after the third time they said they would come for him and you know there is a lot of talking in the village right now because this has never happened in our village lots of people hear stuff but this was a violent killing."
Ceron had just celebrated his 24th birthday, and his neighbor says that he believes his friend may have predicted his own death.
Voice of (Neighbor of Deceased)
"The man said that he wasnt feeling well and he felt like somebody was watching him that's why I would accompany him like 3 times in the community because I got caught up and was arrested with him too because they see me with him and they say its because I'm with him. I would accompany him and id tell him he got used to certain activities and nothing, or nobody is chasing after him. But I feel like he felt his death because three days ago he told me that before he died."
Logan was originally from Mango Creek but Ceron grew up in the village. Their neighbor says the family mostly kept to themselves, however Ceron was allegedly the neighborhood dur:
Reporter
"What did he do for a living?"
Voice of (Neighbor of Deceased)
"Well he worked and they have their farm but he is self employed, he is like a Durr yeah the police knows that and that's why I am talking real because it's nothing bad just a part of business in this world."
"For me he was a good friend to me he never fought with me and he never told me much about his business neither and he never showed me his business he just stayed in the house and stayed locked up so me as a worker I just came to spray his yard, rake his yard and go back to my place I live right there."
Courtney Menzies:
"Is it drug related?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"I would need to check whether it's drug related."
Courtney Menzies:
"Is Ceron known to police?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Yes he is known to police."
Reporter:
"Are any of his previous encounters with police drug related?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB "Yes there was an encounter yes."
