SALISBURY — A man accused of killing three people in 2008 will return to California from Salisbury to face murder charges.
Wilfredo Ruano Reyes was brought before a judge Friday and waived his earlier decision to fight extradition, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said late this afternoon. San Francisco Police are making arrangements to take him back to California.
Reyes, who authorities say is an MS-13 gang member, was arrested at a home on Airport Road last week and charged with being a fugitive from justice. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent notified Rowan deputies that Reyes may be living in the Salisbury area, and after about 25 hours of surveillance, deputies, a San Francisco homicide division detective and an ICE agent raided the home.
Reyes is charged with three counts of murder in connection with the June 2008 deaths of Tony Balogna, 48, and his two sons, Michael, 20, and Matthew, 16. They were shot and killed while sitting in a car with Bologna’s other son, Andrew, who was the only survivor.
In May, a jury convicted Edwin Ramos, 25, of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. During his trial, Ramos told the jury that Reyes was the one who shot the Bolognas.
Deputies said it appeared Reyes had been staying in Salisbury for some time, and they found a .32 caliber handgun inside the Airport Road home.
Officers also arrested Jose Antonio Mejina, 25, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, and charged him with felony possession of cocaine, felony harboring a fugitive and possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities say Mejia is also a member of the MS-13 gang.
Both are being held in the Rowan County Detention Center without bond. Reyes is awaiting extradition, while Mejia is awaiting processing by the ICE.