Police seek help solving murder
By ELISA A. GLUSHEFSKI
eglushefski@potomacnews.com
Thursday, December 6, 2007
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Christian Argueta's sister is still waiting for an answer to why her brother was killed.
Argueta, 19, of Woodbridge, was shot outside Cerro Grande Restaurant at the Springfield Mall early Sunday morning.
Her brother had never been to the restaurant before that night, she said Wednesday.
And the only reason he was there, she added, was because some of Argueta's co-workers wanted to go after their company's Christmas party.
Argueta's family and the Fairfax County police are asking anyone who may have been in the parking lot or saw the shooting to come forward with information.
"It was in the parking lot of a mall," his sister said. "Somebody had to see something."
Police released new information on the descriptions of the shooter and other assailant Wednesday.
One was described as a thin Hispanic man in his 20s, who was wearing a black and blue shirt, jeans and a blue baseball cap, police said.
The other was also described as a Hispanic man in his 20s, with a medium build, and was wearing a black coat. He had short, curly hair, according to police.
Shortly before 2 a.m., Argueta and a friend were leaving the restaurant when police say they were confronted by two men in the parking lot.
Words were exchanged, police said, and then one of the assailants pulled out a handgun and shot Argueta in the upper body.
The friend ran for help and the assailants fled the scene, police said. The friend was not injured.
Argueta died at the scene.
Madalein Argueta, 21, described her brother as a sweet person with a unique laugh who, when he wasn't at work, was usually either spending time with family or at a friend's house.
She said she hopes anyone with information will go to police, even if they are scared.
Investigators are still looking into whether there were any surveillance cameras that caught the shooting on tape, said Officer Shelley Broderick, a Fairfax County police spokeswoman.
Broderick said police are still investigating the motive whether Argueta knew his assailants.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Crime Solvers at 703-691-8888 or 866-411-TIPS, or go to fairfaxcrime solvers.org. Callers don't have to give their name, just information, and could earn up to a $1,000 cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.