Authorities say a third suspect has been arrested in connection with an alleged MS-13 gang killing of a New York teenager found hacked to death with a machete.
Nassau County police say 18-year-old Josue Figueroa-Velasquez pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday on murder charges in the death of 15-year-old Angel Soler, of Long Island. Figueroa-Velasquez is represented by Legal Aid.
Soler's remains were found last October in a 27-acre woodland in Nassau County. It was one of three sets of remains of teenagers found in about a 5-mile area over the course of nine days.
Authorities say Soler was attacked by a group of people and hacked to death with a machete in July.
Two other people also have been charged in Angel's killing. David Sosa-Guevara and Victor Lopez were arrested in November in connection with Soler's murder.
Authorities say MS-13, or the Mara Salvatrucha, has thousands of members across the U.S. and has become a target of President Donald Trump. The gang is believed to be behind at least 25 killings on Long Island during the past two years.
Police in Nassau and Suffolk counties have arrested hundreds of suspected MS-13 gang members over the past year.
