‘Swervin Money Gang’ member gunned down in drug deal gone wrong in Keene, police say
As they drove around North Texas smoking marijuana one January day, Isacc Lopez and Miguel Ruiz Paredes formed a plan to meet with Lopez’s drug contact in Keene to purchase two pounds of marijuana for $2,600, according to an affidavit.
On the afternoon of Jan. 11 on Alaska Street in Keene, Lopez, 17, of Cleburne, stepped out of his mother’s black Chevrolet Sonic and got into the back seat of a white Chrysler.
In the Chrysler, “Swervin Money Gang” members Carlos Flores and Joshua Michael Velasquez waited to complete the deal, according to the affidavit written by police to support an arrest warrant. The two were documented gang members, according to Irving police.
Velasquez told police that Lopez pulled out a gun and pointed it him and Flores, according to the affidavit obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
At that moment, Velasquez thought, ”Is this guy really doing this?” he later told police.
Velasquez told authorities that Lopez never said anything before he opened fire, wounding him and killing Flores, 21, according to the affidavit.
Last week, a warrant on a murder charge was served to Lopez, who was already being held in the Johnson County Jail in Cleburne on other charges related to the fatal Jan. 11 shooting in Keene.
Lopez was arrested shortly after the shooting on charges of tampering with physical evidence and engaging in organized criminal activity.
In addition to his arrest, authorities have taken into custody Miguel Ruiz Paredes of Cleburne and Velasquez of Irving.
Ruiz Paredes and Velasquez face charges of engaging in organized criminal activity.
It was Ruiz Paredes’ handgun that authorities say Lopez used during the deadly shooting.
Lopez has told authorities that it was Ruiz Paredes who was in the white car and his friend was the one who opened fire, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit written by Keene Detective P. Evans provided these additional details in the fatal shooting:
Before the drug deal on Jan. 11, Lopez told his friend Ruiz Parades that he had bought weed before from his drug contact, “JoJo.” “JoJo” was later identified as Carlos Flores of Irving.
Lopez set up a meeting on Jan. 11 in Keene, and his goal was to buy two pounds of marijuana from “JoJo.”
Lopez contacted his friend on Jan. 11, asking him if he wanted to go buy weed near Dallas. Ruiz Paredes agreed. Lopez also asked his friend to bring a gun.
Ruiz Paredes said once they arrived in Keene he stayed in the car while Lopez went to make the drug deal in the white Chrysler. Minutes later, he heard muffled gunshots.
Ruiz Paredes told authorities he saw everyone get out of the Chrysler with Lopez and a front seat passenger shooting each other, and eight rounds were fired. He then drove out of the Keene neighborhood.
Seconds later, Ruiz Paredes said he got a call from Lopez telling him he needed an ambulance. Ruiz Paredes later abandoned the car in a church parking lot in Cleburne.
Lopez had run away from the shooting scene, suffering four gunshot wounds. Authorities later found Lopez sitting on a porch on Alaska Street in Keene, near the shooting scene. A bag of Xanax and a handgun were found near Lopez.
Along with calling Ruiz Paredes, Lopez also called 911 to say he was hiding in the woods.
Flores was found dead in the middle of a street with a handgun found under his body.
Velasquez also had fled the scene and he was located on Lee Street in Keene, suffering from two gunshot wounds, one in the shoulder and one in the back.
This story was originally published March 7, 2022 at 12:02 PM.
