Suspected Smuggler of Illegals Killed:

Shot to Death Following Car Chase, Crash in East Phoenix

June 24, 2003
David J. Cieslak

A man suspected of smuggling 10 undocumented immigrants in a pickup truck was shot to death following a car chase and a crash late Saturday in east Phoenix, police said.

Police believe Roman Valenzuela-Lugo, 43, was driving the Mexican citizens when three other vehicles pulled alongside him near 22nd Street and East Buckeye Road. After one of the vehicles struck Valenzuela-Lugo's truck from behind, at least one person opened fire, said Sgt. Randy Force, a Phoenix police spokesman.

Valenzuela-Lugo was pronounced dead at Maricopa Medical Center after the 11:38 p.m. incident, Force said.

"It (the shooting) could be related to people-smuggling," Force said. "When you have a vehicle that contains that many Mexican immigrants, it's not an uncommon scenario."

None of Valenzuela-Lugo's passengers were injured. Investigators on Sunday continued to search for those involved, who were described as driving two dark Ford Explorers and a Chevrolet pickup truck.

Force did not know whether Saturday's shooting was related to a string of killings of undocumented immigrants in western Maricopa and Pinal counties. The victims in those cases all had ties to people-smuggling.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0623homicide23.html