Judge Finds Probable Cause in Homicide Case

By Hypatia Fitzsimons [former] - October 18, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Oct. 18, DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun resumed the preliminary hearing of Pedro Funes, a suspect in a homicide case.

Funes, 33, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 30-year-old Arnold Humberto Solis on the 2200 block of Champlain Street, NW, on July 26. 

During the cross-examination of a detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the defense focused on the fact there was no footage of the actual shooting. Therefore, the defense says there is no evidence showing who shot Solis and what exact time he was shot. 

Funes’ defense attorney, Dana Page, asked the detective if he could prove the picture of a gun Funes had sent in a message to Solis was initially taken on Funes’s phone camera or was a screenshot. The detective said he did not know.

In redirect, a video from a liquor store was presented to the court which allegedly shows Funes threatens Solis. The detective confirmed that it was Funes who made the threat.

The prosecution stressed the close relationship between Funes and Solis. According to the prosecutor, the shooting “occurred between two close friends,” which explains how the shooting was able to happen in close proximity. The prosecution also mentioned the picture of the gun Funes sent to Solis is a nine millemeter caliber. The casing retrieved from the crime scene was also a nine millimeter.

Page agreed that Funes and Solis had a close friendship but argued that there is no evidence explaining why the defendant would shoot the decedent. According to Page, it makes no sense that Funes would kill his friend.

Judge Okun said, “I am going to find probable cause.” He concluded there was enough evidence from the threat and the picture of the gun matching the casings. He ruled the defendant would be held until his trial because he allegedly shot Solis when he was on supervised release for an unrelated matter.

A status hearing will be held on Dec. 6.