City of Falls Church Police announced that they have arrested the suspect involved in the Sept. 11 shooting at the Diva Lounge, as well as have released the identity of the victim.
City detectives said that the suspect was Elser Galeano Herrera, 28. Authorities said he was arrested at his sister’s home in Lucedale, Mississippi on Sept. 17 and will be transported to Virginia.
Geovanny Alexander Mejia Castro, a security guard at the nightclub located at 6763 Wilson Blvd. in the rear of Falls Church’s Eden Center, died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to F.C. Police.
Police said that they believe the murder was in retaliation for an earlier assault at the nightclub that did not involve Castro.
“The death of Mr. Castro is tragic,” said F.C. Police Chief Mary Gavin in a statement issued today.
“I’m proud of the swift and meticulous investigation that led to the identification and location of the suspect. We are thankful for the assistance of a number of agencies in helping us find and arrest him: the City of Falls Church Sheriff’s Office, the Fairfax County Gang Unit, the FBI Gang Task Force, the U.S. Marshal Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, the U.S. Marshal Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the George County Sheriff’s Department.”
