Pair charged as adults in Windsor teen’s slaying

Two teenage homicide suspects who were arrested in Mexico and extradited back to Sonoma County were arraigned as adults Wednesday on murder, assault, gun and gang charges.

Flavio Ramos Caballero, 17, and Oscar Gustavo Aguilar, 17, were arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Superior Court but postponed entering pleas until they have a hearing with a co-defendant, Duane Darcell Morgan, 16, in two weeks.

The three teens are suspected of fatally shooting Windsor High School student Nathaniel Torres, 15, and fleeing to Sonora, Mexico. Three other teens were also shot and wounded in the incident, at a party after midnight on June 22.

Detectives discovered evidence the suspects were in Mexico and sought help from the FBI and Mexican officials to find and arrest the youths. They were arrested in October and recently brought to Sonoma County.

Prosecutors charged them with one count of murder with gun and gang enhancements and four counts each of assault with a deadly weapon. If convicted, the youths could be sentenced to life terms.

Both Caballero and Aguilar told Judge Dana Beernink Simonds that they intend to hire private lawyers, but were appointed public defenders Wednesday for their arraignment.

The judge set a Dec. 22 hearing with their co-defendant, Morgan. A fourth suspect, 21-year-old Sergio Steven Quiroz of Santa Rosa, was charged as an accessory.

All defendants were being held without bail in Sonoma County Jail.

Prosecutors handed over 2-inch-thick stacks of documents to the youths’ attorneys with the promise that the information would not be copied or shared with anyone else.

Additional security was present in the courtroom for the hearing. About 20 members of the defendants’ families were present, along with several of Torres’ relatives.

You can reach Lori A. Carter at 762-7297 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter?@loriacarter.