Teen arrested in fatal stabbing of Plano 16-year-old

The Plano Police Department arrested 17-year-old Jonathan Teran Rodriguez today and charged him with murder in the stabbing death of Jerry Soto, 16, which occurred just after 10:15 p.m. on Sunday in the 3000 block of E. 15th St. near Sherrye Drive.

According to police, Soto and two 16-year-old friends, Carlos Almanza and Juan Villa, were outside a residence in the 2900 block of E. 15^th St. near Meadows Drive, when a verbal altercation broke out between them and Rodriguez, who was walking by. When Rodriguez, continued walking down the street, Soto followed him.

A felony probable cause affidavit indicates Soto began yelling at Rodriguez, throwing his hands up and asking, “Who you claimin’?” As Rodriguez continued down the street, Soto followed and continued to yell at him.

Almanza told Plano PD Detective Daniel Tyler that he saw Soto follow Rodriguez around the corner of a house in the 1400 block of Sherrye Drive before he lost sight of them. Soto reappeared shortly after, clutching his chest and saying he had been stabbed.

In an interview on Tuesday, Villa told Detective Scott Epperson that he was near Soto and Rodriguez when the stabbing occurred. According to Villa, Soto punched Rodriguez several times before Rodriguez allegedly stabbed Soto and ran away. Soto stumbled backward and indicated he was stabbed.

Almanza ran to Soto’s house and alerted his father, who put Soto in his truck and drove him to Medical Center of Plano, where he was pronounced dead. A doctor at the hospital said Soto died from a single stab wound to his heart.

“It’s unusual for this neighborhood,” said John Cunningham, who lives a block away from the crime scene. “I’ve been here for about nine years and I’ve heard of maybe one or two house break-ins in that timeframe, and that’s it. It’s always quiet around here, and usually the Plano police do a pretty good job of patrolling out here.”

An avid walker, Cunningham said that although the incident changes his impression about being out late, he will probably walk around the neighborhood at night more often to watch out for others.

Officer David Tilley, Plano PD spokesman, said it is unknown if Soto and Rodriguez knew each other, although the affidavit indicates Rodriguez is the cousin of Villa’s friend. In his interview, Villa told Epperson that he knew his friend’s cousin stabbed Soto, and a Facebook search revealed the suspect’s picture.

“We’re still trying to piece together the puzzle,” he said. “We’re looking into all types of angles.”

With his wife and three children out of town for Spring Break, John Inman was at his home at Meadows Drive and E. 15th Street when he heard a noise.

“I thought it was the TV, so I didn’t pay attention to it,” he said. “At about 10:15 p.m., I got up and went into the kitchen, and that’s when I noticed flashing blue and red lights. When I looked out the window, there were cop cars everywhere, and they had orange cones and crime tape all over.”

Plano PD staked out a perimeter and blocked off the roadway to prevent people from potentially tampering with the crime scene. Police canines were used to track the suspect, but the trail went cold.

According the affidavit, a blood trail was observed from the front yard of a home in the 1400 block of Sherrye Drive to the 2900 block of E. 15th St.

“This hits home to me,” Inman said. “I think what I heard was them arguing and fighting, but at the time I didn’t know – I thought it was the TV. If I would have looked outside, there’s a chance I might have been able to help that boy, but you never know. It’s extremely sad and alarming for us. I mean, it happens in rich neighborhoods, it happens everywhere, but when it happens in your backyard, it’s real.”

Although Inman and Cunningham expressed concern for their neighbors after the stabbing in their usually quiet neighborhood, Plano PD believed this was an isolated incident from the start.

“This was a confrontation that went bad,” Tilley said. “It wasn’t someone randomly going around and taking out people. This all stems from a confrontation that took place.”

Rodriguez was charged with murder and transferred to the Collin County Detention Center, where he is being held on a $1 million bond.

Source: starlocalmedia