Five arrests in 2017 killing of teen left in his burned car in Flint Hills: official

Nearly four years after an Emporia teen was found dead in his burned-out car that had been abandoned in the Flint Hills, five people have been arrested.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday that those arrested were taken into custody throughout the morning at various locations in Emporia and Tulsa.

All are facing counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, aggravated robbery, arson and interference with a law enforcement officer, the KBI said in a news release.

The arrests come after a lengthy investigation into the Sept. 6. 2017, death of 19-year-old Jesus Avila-Galvin Jr., whose body was discovered in his fire-engulfed car at Road 160 and Road T. The intersection is in a rural area east of Emporia near the Neosho River.

The KBI said the Kansas and Oklahoma highway patrols helped with Wednesday’s captures:

• Andrew John “AJ” Granado, 21, of Tulsa was arrested around 4 a.m.
• Jordy Cornejo-Campoverde, 21, of Emporia, was arrested at about 5:45 a.m.
• Armando Nunez, 20, of Emporia, was arrested less than three hours later, at 8:30 a.m.
• Alan Alanis, 19, of Emporia, was arrested at approximately 9:30 a.m.
• Jovan Pecina, 22, of Emporia, was arrested at about 10:50 a.m.

All but Granado were booked into the Lyon County Jail, where they’re being held pending the filing of formal charges by Lyon County prosecutors. After his arrest, Granado was taken to the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, the KBI said in the release, and will likely be extradited from there.

Authorities haven’t said what motivated Avila-Galvin’s killing. But that information is expected to come out in the coming weeks and months as the criminal case plays out in court.

This story was originally published August 18, 2021 at 1:18 PM.