4 people facing murder charges for killing of DC teen in Maryland
Four people are facing murder charges in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for the killing of a D.C. teenager who was reported missing for months.
A release issued Saturday by the Prince George’s County Police identified three of the suspects — all D.C. natives — as Jose Merlos-Majano, 18, Alan Josai Garcia-Padilla, 21, and William Cuellar Gutierrez, 19.
The fourth suspect was only identified as a 17-year-old from Hyattsville, Maryland.
The teenager at the center of the homicide case is Jefferson Amaya-Ayala, 14, who was last seen in the District on Aug. 2, 2025, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
It wasn’t until Nov. 3 that investigators with the D.C. police and the FBI Cross Border Task Force found Amaya-Ayala’s remains in College Park, Maryland, during a search of the Indian Creek Stream Valley Park, police said.
Preliminary findings, according to police, suggest Amaya-Ayala was “lured to the park and murdered” the same day he was last seen in D.C. It’s believed he knew at least one of the suspects.
While the killing is also thought to be gang-related, investigators have not yet pinpointed a motive, police said.
Two of the suspects, Merlos-Majano and Garcia-Padilla, are awaiting extradition to Prince George’s County from D.C. and Alexandria, Virginia, respectively. Both Cuellar Gutierrez and the Hyattsville teen are already in custody at the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections.
Anyone with information regarding the homicide case is urged to call 301-516-2512. You can also contact the Prince George’s County Crime Solvers online or reach out to investigators by calling 1-866-411-8477.