One of the suspects arrested over the weekend in connection with the deaths of two teenagers told authorities their deaths were the result of a drug deal gone wrong.
According to an Ector County Sheriff’s Office report, deputies received a report about a gunshot victim in the 200 block of North Knox around 4 p.m. Friday and when they arrived they discovered a mortally wounded Kevin Adrian Roman, 18. Roman died of his injuries while in surgery.
Security footage and witness accounts placed a Chrysler 300 at the scene of the incident and it was later found with bullet holes and blood inside of it, according to the report.
The vehicle belonged to Ethan Gabriel Ibarra, 20, and Ibarra and his passenger, Victor Balderama, 18, came to the sheriff’s office to provide statements.
According to the report, Ibarra confessed to shooting Roman during a drug deal and led authorities to Penwell, where the body of Dillan Elain Zubia was found with at least one gunshot wound. Ibarra also admitted he’d disposed of two firearms.
Balderama was arrested on suspicion of two counts of tampering with a human corpse. He remained in the Ector County jail Monday on surety bonds totaling $75,000.
Ibarra was arrested on suspicion of two counts of tampering with a human corpse and one count of murder. He remained in custody Monday on surety bonds totaling $175,000.
