By Carrington McClendon
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Five suspects have been arrested in the connection with the murder of a 16-year-old girl from Glen Cove, New York, whose body was found near the Loch Raven Reservoir in Cockeysville in May, county police said today.
Police said they believe the suspects are affiliated with the MS-13 gang. In addition, homicide detectives said the victim, Gabriela Alejandra Gonzalez Ardons, appears to have known the suspects and followed them into a park, where she was murdered.
The suspects have been identified as Jonathan J. Pesquera-Puerto, 19, of the 600 block of South Newkirk Street in Baltimore; Edys O. Valenzuella-Rodriguez, 20, of the 2000 block of Dundalk Avenue in Dundalk; Wualter Hernandez-Orellana, 19; Asael Ezequie Gonzalez-Merlos, 16, of the 800 block of Baltimore Street in Baltimore; and Wilson Art Constanza-Galdomez, 21, police said. They said Hernandez-Orellana and Constanza-Galdomez have no known address.
All five were charged with murder in the first degree and numerous related charges, county police said. Police said the suspects had already been in custody on other alleged crimes.
A citizen who was walking along a trail in the woods off of Pot Spring Road near Colonade Road saw the body of the woman near the edge of a stream at the bottom of a slope on May 29, police said.
Ardons was identified by family members after they reported her missing and were subsequently alerted to the department’s social media posts revealing the girl’s tattoos.
Police said the Ardon may have been murdered because of her possible affiliation with a rival gang.
The suspects are in custody at the Baltimore County Detention Center on no bail status, county police said.