Court cases moving forward in March 21 drive-by fatality shooting
R. HANS MILLER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months AGO
Matthew Valdez, left, and Jose Beltran Rodriguez, right, are both on trial for a variety of charges, including murder, associated with a March 21 drive-by shooting in Moses Lake that left one 14-year-old boy dead and several other victims injured.
FILE PHOTOS
Managing Editor Rob Miller is a 4-year U.S. Army veteran who grew up in Western Montana in a community about the size of Soap Lake. An honors graduate of Texas State University, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brandee, and their three dogs, Draco, Pepper and Cinnamon. He has one son, William. During his free time, he enjoys photography, video games, reading and working on the house he and his wife bought in Ephrata. He is passionate about the First Amendment and educating communities. | August 18, 2025 6:45 PM
EPHRATA — Two men, Matthew Valdez, 18, and Jose Beltran Rodriguez, 20, both of Moses Lake, were arrested in late April in association with a drive-by shooting in Moses Lake that led to one death and several injuries. Their legal process is moving forward and both have court dates set for September and October.
More than two dozen law enforcement groups participated in the investigation and search for the suspects after a March 21 drive-by shooting in the 500 block of Loop Drive in Moses Lake. MLPD officers had responded to a report of a shooting shortly after 9 p.m. that day. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found five shooting victims ranging in age from 14 to 26. A 14-year-old boy was declared deceased at the scene of the violent incident.
Valdez and Beltran Rodriguez, as well as a 14-year-old supposed accomplice from Mattawa, were tracked down over the next few days after an extensive search. Valdez was found in Beaverton, Ore., and Beltran Rodriguez eventually turned himself in to law enforcement in Redding, Calif. The minor investigated as an accomplice in the case had been detained at a hospital in the Tri-Cities the day after the shooting when he sought medical attention.
Valdez is facing a variety of charges, with the most serious being Murder in the First Degree, for which he is currently being held with a $1 million bond set. Additional charges include five charges of Assault in the First Degree with a firearm or deadly weapon, Drive-By shooting and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the First Degree.
Beltran Rodriguez faces identical charges and bail in association with the incident.
Both remain held at the Grant County Jail.
Neither man nor their alleged accomplice from Mattawa has been convicted, and their cases are going through the legal process. They are alleged to be members of the Nortenos gang.
Multiple case documents have been ordered sealed to protect the integrity of the case, and the Columbia Basin Herald is honoring that order to ensure the legal process moves forward without undue challenges.
Valdez’s case number in Grant County Superior Court is 25-1-00099-13. Beltran-Rodriguez's case number in the same court is 25-1-00098-13.
Valdez’s case is set for an omnibus hearing Sept. 29, with a readiness hearing scheduled for Oct. 27 and a trial set to begin Oct. 29. According to court documents, Rodriguez's case follows a similar timeline.
Information on the alleged accomplice’s case is not available because he is a minor.
ARTICLES BY R. HANS MILLER
Awareness helps prevent porch pirates’ success
EPHRATA — At least 58 million packages were stolen in the U.S. last year, with about 25% of Americans being the victims of theft, according to the United States Parcel Service. At the local level, there are thefts occurring regularly as well, but that doesn’t mean that you’re stuck being the victim, authorities say. “The experience of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office is that package theft happens regularly,” said GCSO Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman. “It is a crime of opportunity. When someone’s out looking to try and make a quick buck, they may drive through a neighborhood looking for unattended packages on the front porch.”
Gorge shooting trial rescheduled to 2026
EPHRATA — The trial in the case of James Kelly, the man charged in the June 2023 shooting that led to the deaths of two women at the Beyond Wonderland music festival held at The Gorge Amphitheatre, has been bumped to early next year, according to court documents.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: In appreciation of educators ...
An experience I recently had with a school district, quite honestly, has left me gob-smacked a bit. I am in awe of the teachers and administrators at school districts throughout the region and what they have to deal with. Let me get back to the beginning, though. Journalists often cover a wide variety of topics and are constantly looking for ideas for stories that will matter to readers. As such, when we hear of events of interest, we sometimes ask to attend so we can either cover it, or, as in this case, learn how to cover a topic better.