APD seeks public’s help in finding suspect in 2007 double murder

Posted on by David Forbes

Full announcement from the Asheville Police Department:

Asheville Police are requesting help in the search for Celerino Maldonado Ponce, 40 year-old Hispanic male, wanted for two counts of First Degree Murder.  Ponce is still at large for the November 25, 2007 shooting deaths of Apolinar Gallegos-Alvarez and Jose Gallegos-Alvarez, as well as the wounding of Martin Gallegos-Alvarez.  The Gallegos-Alvarez brothers were inside the Billar Latino at 697 Haywood Road in Asheville when an argument occurred and Ponce pulled out a gun and started shooting.  When police arrived on the scene Ponce had already fled, and Apolinar and Jose Gallegos-Alvarez were found deceased.

Ponce is believed to have fled the Asheville area immediately after the shooting and his whereabouts are still unknown.  Asheville Police ask that anyone with information as to Ponce’s location please call Detective Kevin Taylor at 259-5945 or Crime Stoppers at 255-5050 or send a tip via text message specifically to the Asheville PD by Texting “APDTIP plus your tip” to 274637 (CRIMES).

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