Two more arrested in ambush killing of Tri-Cities teen. Now 5 charged with her murder

Police have arrested two more alleged shooters in the 2022 ambush killing of 18-year-old Jatzivy Sarabia in Kennewick.

The two 18 year olds were arrested in Spokane with the help of the U.S. Marshal’s Service and Spokane Police Department.

Marcell Cola was arrested on Saturday, Sept. 7, and Darrious Thomason on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

Both are being held at the Benton County jail, each in lieu of $1 million bail on charges of aggravated first-degree murder.

Three others were previously arrested and awaiting trial for murder.

Five others have been arrested on related charges to the homicide investigation, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Wednesday announcement.

Thomason appeared briefly on Wednesday in Benton County Superior Court. Cola is scheduled to appear on Thursday.

Both teens are accused of being inside vehicles that shot up a Jeep occupied by Sarabia and three of her friends while they were headed to a party in Finley.

More than 75 shell casings were found at the scene at Highway 397 and Third Avenue in downtown Kennewick, according to court documents.

Cola and Thomason, along with Isaiah Combs, 21, and Layshawne Bethea-Dickerson, 15, were allegedly identified by witnesses as the shooters.

Police also believe Torrey Daniels, 22, is also involved, according to previous Herald reports.

The suspects were driving in two vehicles: A dark-colored Honda and a silver Kia.

Cola and Thomason were passengers in the Kia, say court documents.

Verbal disagreements

Investigators believe the ambush plan originated after an Oct. 14, 2022, argument that started in Spokane between Combs and the owner of the Jeep. Sarabia had gone on the trip with some friends and was a passenger.

The disagreement apparently started when the Jeep owner used the term “napkin,” which Combs interpreted as a gang-related slight. He allegedly pointed a gun at the Jeep owner.

“This confrontation caused ongoing tension between the two groups,” court documents said.

The Jeep owner left Spokane without Combs the next day. He and Bethea-Dickerson were picked up and brought back to the Tri-Cities by someone else.

Once back in the Tri-Cities, Combs and Bethea-Dickerson along with several other people, including Daniels, met with Sarabia and the other women outside of the 3-City Sports Bar, according to court documents.

Eventually, both groups decided to attend a party near Seventh Avenue and Yew Street in Finley. The suspects’ vehicles left first, followed by the Jeep.

The Jeep owner first stopped by her father’s home in downtown Kennewick for a half hour before leaving for the party.

Along the way, people inside the Kia and Honda leaned out of the windows and began firing at the Jeep, said officials.

Sarabia was sitting in the back seat when she was shot twice. The Jeep’s driver was able to flee to her father’s home in downtown Kennewick.

The cars with the shooters returned to the sports bar and the occupants went back inside. Bethea-Dickerson allegedly bragged that he killed one of the women inside, according to court documents.

Social media videos

Combs and Daniels are both facing aggravated first-degree murder charges.

Bethea-Dickerson was arrested in November 2022, and has been in the Benton-Franklin Juvenile Detention Center in Kennewick facing a first-degree murder charge.

“Interviews with witnesses confirmed the seating arrangements and the involvement of Darrious Thomason, Marcell Cola and Layshawne Bethea-Dickerson,” court documents read. “The driver of the Honda confirmed that Isaiah Combs was one of the shooters from the vehicle and that Marcell was seated in the front passenger seat of the Kia. She recalled hearing Marcell yell, ‘Go, go, go,’ just before the shooting began.”

Daniels, who reportedly rode in the Kia, allegedly described Thomason firing a 9mm pistol, Cola reportedly firing a Glock 17 with an extended magazine, and Bethea-Dickerson firing Thomason’s 9mm Sig Sauer, which was handed to him that evening.

“Social media evidence further supported the involvement of the suspects,” court documents said.

Cola was allegedly seen holding the Glock in a Snapchat video less than an hour before the incident. Daniels also was seen holding a handgun and rapping before the incident on the social media app.

Thomason and Cola also allegedly spoke through social media and other messaging about acquiring firearms, and Cola helped get them just days before the shooting.

Cola reportedly took charge of the guns after the attack and helpe hide them, according to court documents.

Police also reviewed Facebook posts by both Cola and Thomason showing the pistol and Glock that matched the ones shown in the Snapchat videos.