The cases against two brothers accused of killing a Lexington woman have been dismissed.
Brothers Kevin and Brian Marquez-Chavez were accused of killing Esmerelda Lizete Rodriguez Perez and injuring a man in a shooting at a birthday party in September at the Suburban Point mobile home park.
During their first court appearance in January, a detective said there was a history between the brothers and the other man who was hurt. The detective said he believed they were likely targeting him due to a 2022 shooting that left Kevin shot.
Police said multiple cameras showed both brothers in the area less than an hour before, and cell phone records show that both Brian and Kevin were on the scene at the same time.
However, the Herald Leader reports that one of the brother’s attorneys argued that much of the evidence presented by police was circumstantial.
“The only evidence that puts my client on the scene is that he made a call to his brother, his brother’s car was in the neighborhood at some point in the day, and their phones happened to hit towers that thousands of people’s phones are connected to,” said Derick Harris, who is representing Kevin Marquez-Chavez.
The case was forwarded to a grand jury after that initial hearing.
Court records say a Fayette County grand jury has since declined to indict the brothers.
This is a developing story.
Credit: WKYT/Lexington
