Body of missing teen found; five suspects arrested

Gabrielle Bienasz, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
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May 31—Five men have been charged with first-degree murder after investigators discovered the body of missing 15-year-old, Limber Lopez Funez, the Frederick Police Department announced Wednesday morning.

Lopez Funez's remains were discovered April 24 in an area close to Gambrill State Park, Samantha Long, an FPD spokesperson, said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Police believe the killing to be gang related, Long said.

All five men have been apprehended, Long said. Long declined to say where the men are being held.

The following men were charged with first degree murder:

— Alexis Alfredo Ayala Lopez

— Jose Roberto Ramos Lopez

— Ismael Lopez Lopez

— Elmer Bladimir Reyes Reyes

— Ismael Ivan Rivera Canales

Lopez Funez was last seen on Feb. 24 near Alban Court in Frederick, police previously said.

In the early morning hours of Feb. 26, police found "a crime scene that indicated a serious assault had occurred there" in a wooded place near Orchard Way while searching for Lopez Funez, Wednesday's news release said.

The Frederick Police Department, along with the United States Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and FBI Cross Borders Task Forces, executed search and seizure warrants on May 26 to apprehend the suspects, the release said.

Long said she was not able to comment on how Lopez Funez died or if any of the suspects were from, or residents of, Frederick.

Police said the investigation began Feb. 25 when Lopez Funez was designated as a "critical" missing person due to his age, Long said.

Besides FPD, personnel from agencies including the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Maryland State Police and the Department of Homeland Security were observed at the scene of a search Gambrill State Park, the News-Post previously reported.

"Our team spent countless hours following leads and conducting searches all over the county. We were all hoping to find Limber alive and well, but sadly that did not happen," Police Chief Jason Lando said in Wednesday's press release.

Lopez Funez was a student at Frederick High.

School counseling services will be available to students and staff members at Frederick High School through the end of this week, Frederick County Public Schools spokesman Eric Louérs-Phillips said Wednesday.

Senior Reporter Jillian Atelsek contributed to this report.