Two individuals arrested in connection to early Saturday homicide

In a release from the Garden City Police Department, 20-year-old Fernando Sandoval and 21-year-old Ximena Sanchez-Espinoza, 21 were arrested in connection to the incident.

 

Just before 3 a.m. Saturday morning, Officers of the Garden City Police Department were dispatched to the 2600 block of Chainey Street for a stabbing that just occurred. When Officers arrived, they found three people had been stabbed. The victims were transported to St. Catherine Hospital.

 

One of the victims, identified as 20-year-old Xavier Castaneda, later died.

 

Through a collaborative investigation by the GCPD and Finney County Sheriff’s Office, it was revealed that a fight broke out during a party, and Sandoval stabbed the three victims. Sandoval and Sanchez-Espinoza fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. Sandoval and Sanchez-Espinoza were later located in Hugoton and taken into custody, with the assistance of the Hugoton Police Department and Dodge City Police Department.

 

Sandoval was lodged in the Finney County Jail for Murder in the Second Degree, multiple counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, and multiple counts of Aggravated Battery.

 

Sanchez-Espinoza was lodged in the Finney County Jail for Felony Obstruction.

 

The investigation is ongoing.

 

The Garden City Police Department offers its condolences to the family and loved ones of Xavier Castaneda, and those affected by this incident.

 

*The person(s) involved has not yet been convicted of a crime and are presumed innocent. The presumption of innocence shall continue until such time that the person(s) accused may be found guilty by a court of law.*