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Abel Mendoza-Ramirez, 31, who lives in the Bucks Meadows Apartments on Knights Road, had been arguing with the victim, Jose Miguel Tenorio-Ruiz, 40, around 5:45 p.m. Saturday, July 6 near the back parking lot when he went to his car, got a gun, and shot him dead, Bensalem police said.
Responding officers found Tenorio-Ruiz lying near the parking lot with a gunshot wound to the torso, and began life-saving measures until EMS arrived.
The victim was rushed to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital by Bensalem EMS where he was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, Mendoza-Ramirez was identified as a suspect following witness questioning. Witnesses said the suspect and the victim had a physical altercation before Mendoza-Ramirez went to his car and got a gun. When he returned, he shot the victim twice. When the victim tried taking the gun from him, Mendoza-Ramirez shot him again, that one proving fatal, police said.
Mendoza-Ramirez then got into his Ford Van and fled the scene. The description of the suspect and his vehicle was broadcast to surrounding police departments, and the vehicle registration was entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a felony vehicle with the driver possibly armed and dangerous.
Less than an hour later, Newton Township police officer spotted the Ford van with the matching registration and conducted a traffic stop at 600 Newtown Yardley Road in front of the Newton Cemetery. Mendoza-Ramirez was taken into custody without incident and charged with Criminal Homicide, Murder in the First Degree, Murder in the Third Degree, and possession of an Instrument of Crime.
He was arraigned by District Justice Joseph Falcone and sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail.
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