Jesse Ramirez 7 & Edwin Pellecier 10--both died--Beaten at AZ park

[MuffyBee]

Dec 24, 4:21 PM EST

Cops: Boys beaten at Ariz. park critically injured

By JACQUES BILLEAUD
Associated Press Writer
 PHOENIX (AP) -- Two boys who suffered extensive head injuries in a beating at a park in Phoenix were not expected to survive, police said Wednesday.

Joe Sauceda Gallegos, 36, made an initial court appearance on two counts of child abuse and dangerous crimes against children in the Tuesday attack on 7-year-old Jesse Ramirez and his 10-year-old cousin, Edwin Pellecier.

The hospital treating the boys declined to release their medical status, but police said the boys were in extremely critical condition.

Shirts containing red stains and an aluminum baseball bat were found by investigators at Gallegos's home near the park, according to a police statement filed in court. Police believe that Gallegos acted alone.

"We don't know the motive," Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson said in an interview. "He followed these two boys to the park and bludgeoned them."

Gallegos, who was being held in jail on a $1 million cash bond, had not been assigned an attorney. There was no immediate response to a request by The Associated Press to interview Gallegos in jail.

Gallegos told police he had no knowledge of the attack.

The boys were attacked midday Tuesday at a small community park. A neighbor found them lying in a sandy area near a playground slide and called for help.

As police searched the neighborhood for witnesses, they said a neighbor offered video from a surveillance camera that had captured images of boys walking toward the park, followed a minute later by a man carrying an object that looked like a bat.

Investigators who went to Gallegos' house noted that he appeared nervous and that his appearance was similar to that of the man in the surveillance video. Police also said Gallegos had an odor of chlorine on his hands and stains that appeared to be blood on his shoes.

Gallegos, who was cited for misdemeanor assault in October for a fight at a restaurant, was arrested for not showing up for a court date. He was then booked on assault charges after a search of his house turned up the shirts and an aluminum baseball bat.

He declined to talk further with investigators.

Joe Sauceda, the suspect's uncle, told police that he believed Gallegos had been diagnosed as a schizophrenic.

Sauceda also said Gallegos had told authorities about six months ago that he killed his sons in his attic, but police never found any such victims at the house.

Gallegos' sons live with their mother in Colorado and are the same ages of the boys who were attacked at the park.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHILDREN_INJURED?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

[Nut44x4]

Police: 2 young boys bludgeoned in Phoenix park die, man to face 2 murder charges

Last update: December 26, 2008 - 4:13 PM
PHOENIX - The suspect in a brutal and apparently random attack of two young boys at a park will face murder charges after both victims died Friday, police said.

Edwin Pellecier and Jesse Ramirez suffered severe head injuries when they were repeatedly bludgeoned Tuesday afternoon, Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said. Seven-year-old Jesse died early Friday and his 10-year-old cousin, Edwin, was pronounced dead hours later.

Police arrested Joe Sauceda Gallegos, 36, within hours of the attack on Tuesday.

A first-degree murder charge was added after Jesse's death and a second was planned after Edwin died, Thompson said. He was charged earlier with two counts of child abuse and dangerous crimes against children. Bail was set at $1 million.

Doctors believe the boys were bludgeoned repeatedly with a baseball bat or similar object. Police say they found a bat in Gallegos' home along with clothing that appeared to be bloodstained.

"It was just a brutal, vicious attack that didn't need to happen," Thompson said.

Court records did not list an attorney for Gallegos.

Thompson said Gallegos, who lived nearby, followed the boys to the small community park and attacked them, then walked back to his home. Police don't know a motive.

Police said video from a surveillance camera mounted in front of a house near the park showed the boys walking toward the park, followed a minute later by a man carrying an object that looked like a bat. A neighborhood resident said the man looked like Gallegos.

An uncle of Gallegos, Joe Sauceda, told police he believed Gallegos had been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. The uncle also said Gallegos had told authorities about six months ago that he killed his sons in his attic, but police never found any such victims at the house. Gallegos' sons live with their mother in Colorado and are the same ages of the boys who were attacked.

http://www.startribune.com/nation/36748459.html

[rebelgirl901]

Wow!  Real tough guy beating up two kids with a baseball bat.  WTF?  He's a grown man for crying out loud and they were kids.  What was he thinking?   

[Nut44x4]

Man charged with bat beating of 2 boys in Phoenix
21 hours ago

PHOENIX (AP) — A man suspected of brutally beating two boys with a baseball bat at a Phoenix park has been charged with first-degree murder.

The Maricopa County attorney's office also charged Joe Sauceda Gallegos on Monday with child abuse and dangerous crimes against children. A court appearance is scheduled Tuesday. Prosecutors have not said whether they will seek the death penalty.

Ten-year-old Edwin Pellecier and 7-year-old Jesse Ramirez died Friday after being beaten Dec. 23. Police have said the suspect apparently followed the cousins when they went to the park to play.

Gallegos remains jailed on $1 million bail. Court records don't list an attorney.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g1fIxrS8kcGS4JsDkpooeeHf5riQD95CPI700

PHOENIX

Man charged in fatal beating of two boys

A man suspected of brutally beating two boys with a baseball bat at a Phoenix park was charged Monday with first-degree murder. The Maricopa County attorney's office also charged the suspect, Joe Sauceda Gallegos, with child abuse and dangerous crimes against children. A court appearance is scheduled for today.
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100020825&docId=l:904742568&start=3