Crime
12-year-old Juan Acevedo found deceased in a pond near Mica Avenue in Virginia
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – The body of 12-year-old Juan Sebastian Mejia Acevedo, who was the subject of an AMBER Alert, has been found in a pond near the 200 block of Mica Avenue, close to where he was last seen.
Authorities recovered the body after an extensive search effort near the apartment complex where Juan disappeared. The discovery was confirmed by Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate during a press conference on Monday.
“Our marine patrol was out early this morning checking the ponds,” Neudigate said. “Utilizing new sonar technology, we recovered a body approximately eight feet underwater that matches the physical and clothing descriptions of Juan Acevedo.”
While an official identification is still pending from the medical examiner’s office, Virginia State Police have canceled the AMBER Alert, stating the “juvenile has been located.”
Juan’s parents reported him missing Friday evening after he failed to return home from what they believed was a visit to a friend’s house. Police were notified around 9 p.m. after the family was unable to locate him.
Following the family’s public plea for help, they began receiving ransom demands through social media, which led authorities to treat the case as a potential abduction. The AMBER Alert was issued Saturday morning as law enforcement agencies intensified their search efforts.
On Monday, Chief Neudigate emphasized that the decision to search the pond was proactive and not based on any specific tip. “We had no specific intelligence that this might be an area of interest,” he said. “We were simply being thorough and leaving no stone unturned.”
Chief Neudigate stated it is too early to determine whether foul play was involved in Juan’s death. The medical examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death, which will guide the next steps in the investigation.
Authorities are also investigating the ransom threats made to Juan’s family. The police chief revealed that the family received a demand for $500, which was paid, but no further communication was received.
“One of our theories is that it may have been a scam, but we would be negligent not to treat this as an actual abduction until we know otherwise,” Neudigate explained. “Our detectives are working to determine whether these threats were legitimate or part of a cruel hoax.”
Chief Neudigate extended his condolences to Juan’s family and the broader Virginia Beach community.
“This is a period of grieving for the family, and we will be there to support them during this unimaginably difficult time,” he said.
The Virginia Beach Police Department is continuing its investigation and urges anyone with information related to Juan’s disappearance or the ransom threats to contact them immediately.
For updates or to provide tips, please contact the Virginia Beach Police Department or Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
Crime
Agent Nic Graham Dies After Being Shot in Lakewood Police Shootout With Suspect Gabriel Garcia on RTD Bus
LAKEWOOD, Colorado — A Lakewood police agent who was critically wounded during a shootout with a suspect aboard an RTD bus has died, authorities confirmed. The fallen officer was identified as Nic Graham, a member of the Lakewood Police Department since 2019.
Graham was among four police agents injured Thursday evening when an armed confrontation erupted near Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard. A civilian bystander was also struck by gunfire.
The shooting followed a police search for a suspect connected to a hit-and-run crash reported earlier in the day.
Police said the incident initially began shortly before 3:45 p.m. Thursday, following a hit-and-run collision near Kipling Street and West 13th Avenue in Lakewood.
Witnesses told investigators that the suspect ran away almost immediately after the crash. However, they provided officers with a description that helped police identify and search for the individual.
Lakewood Police Public Information Agent John Romero said witnesses were able to give officers a useful description of the person who fled the scene.
Several hours later, at approximately 6:30 p.m., a Lakewood police agent recognized the individual boarding an RTD bus near Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard.
Officers approached the suspect at approximately 6:32 p.m. Police said the individual opened fire on officers, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Responding officers returned fire, striking the suspect. The individual was pronounced dead at the scene and was identified as Gabriel Garcia.
Garcia was reportedly on parole when the shooting occurred.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain part of the ongoing investigation.
Four Lakewood police agents suffered gunshot wounds during the confrontation. Their injuries ranged from serious to critical, and all four were transported to nearby hospitals.
Despite receiving emergency medical treatment, Graham later died from his injuries.
One civilian bystander was also hit by gunfire and hospitalized. The person’s condition had not been publicly disclosed as of Friday afternoon.
Hospital updates released Friday morning indicated that two agents treated at Denver Health Medical Center had been released. Another remained hospitalized, while officials had not provided a complete update on the remaining injured individuals.
Graham began serving with the Lakewood Police Department in 2019 after graduating from the police academy.
Throughout his law enforcement career, he contributed to criminal investigations and earned recognition for his work.
One of his notable achievements came in 2023, when he received the department’s Special Investigations Unit Wingman Award for his contributions to investigations targeting gang members.
Police Chief Philip Smith paid tribute to Graham, highlighting his dedication, compassion and commitment to helping others.
Chief Smith said Graham demonstrated those qualities throughout his career, from his early days on patrol to his investigative work.
His death has left the department and the wider Lakewood community grieving the loss of an officer who dedicated his career to public service.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities examine the circumstances that led to the deadly confrontation.
The shooting resulted in the death of suspect Gabriel Garcia, the fatal injury of Agent Nic Graham, injuries to three additional police agents and a civilian bystander.
Officials have not released a final investigative account of the incident. Further updates are expected as investigators establish the complete sequence of events.