MORRISTOWN - The suspect in a Mother's Day shooting that killed a 40-year-old mother of five is an illegal immigrant and that could complicate the investigation, Hamblen County authorities said today.
Detective Sgt. Frank Lane of the Hamblen County Sheriff's Department said 41-year-old Carmen Vences, the alleged shooter and father of the slain woman's five children, is an illegal immigrant from Mexico who's lived in the area for three or four years.
Hamblen County Sherriff Esco Janigan issued a stern warning Sunday that anybody who attempts to hide the suspect would be charged with being an accessory to first-degree murder.
Adelina Delasancha was killed by her children's father in what appeared to be a fit of jealous rage, the sheriff said.
The shooting took place during a coming-of-age celebration for a Hispanic youth that was being held at a business rented for the occasion at 111 Spencer Hale Rd., the sheriff said. Her youngest children were at the party and watched the shooting, which occurred after Vences got into an altercation with another male at the scene, Jarnagin said.
There is some concern that Vences may attempt to flee the area and return to Mexico, Hamblen Chief Deputy Wayne Mize said.
"The first thing you think of, he's on his way back to Mexico," Mize said. "But we don't know that to be a fact."
Another concern is that other illegal residents in the area could try to provide safe harbor, Mize said. "Even after what he's done, he's got something of a support group," he said.
The chief deputy said the county has an "extremely large" population of illegal immigrants. "The INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) has told us they pick up more illegal immigrants here than any other jail in East Tennessee. We've got an inordinate amount of illegals here in Hamblen County ... We're following every lead that we get, but so far we haven't got anything."
Delasancha was pronounced dead at the scene of the 1:45 a.m. Sunday shooting. She was the mother of five children ranging in age from 4 years old to 23 years old, and three of them - including the youngest - were present at the party, Jarnagin said.
More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/may/11/authorities-mothers-day-shooting-suspect-may-flee-/
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