Suspect from New Year’s shooting found and arrested

DeShawn Tarango, a suspect in the New Year’s shooting of 15-year-old Julian Quintana in Central Heights, was transferred to Gila County Jail on March 12 after he was located at a residence in Mesa and taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force on March 3.  

Authorities had been looking for Tarango since the day of the shooting. Tarango was initially deemed a person-of-interest in the case; however, after further investigation, Tarango became a suspect in the case, alleged to have caused the death of Quintana. 

On Feb. 9, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office announced a felony arrest warrant was issued for Tarango.

Quintana was shot during an altercation just after 1.a.m. on New Year’s Day at a home in Central Heights, where a New Year’s Eve party was taking place. He was found on the scene not breathing by law enforcement and was transported to Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center. He was then transferred to a hospital in Phoenix, where he died later that day from his injuries. 

Anyone with additional information regarding this case should call the Gila County Sheriff’s Office, Detectives Division, at (928) 402-1872.