Suspect in 2011 Hazleton homicide jailed
Sep. 10—HAZLETON — A man accused in a deadly shooting during a sexual assault in Hazleton nearly 11 years ago was arraigned on criminal homicide charges Thursday night.
Rafael Enrique Gonzalez-Aguirre, 49, a Mexican national in the United States illegally in 2011, was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail.
Hazleton police obtained an arrest warrant for Gonzalez-Aguirre on Oct. 29, 2011, a day after he allegedly shot Cesar Robles, 30, of New York, inside 320 E. Chestnut St.
Robles was pronounced dead at the scene from a single gunshot wound from a .40-caliber handgun.
District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said Gonzalez-Aguirre was recently captured in Mexico.
No other details about his apprehension were released.
Gonzalez-Aguirre was charged with criminal homicide, unlawful restraint, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person.
According to previous published reports, Robles was inside the house and heard voices coming from a bedroom.
As Robles was walking up stairs, he was met by Gonzalez-Aguirre.
Robles turned around and was shot in the back, authorities said at the time.
Authorities said Gonzalez-Aguirre was sexually assaulting a woman inside the bedroom that prompted Robles to find the source of the voices.
