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Suspect In Indio Killing Has Ties To Mexican Mafia

A man suspected in the shooting death of an Indio man is a drug and weapons dealer with ties to the Mexican Mafia prison gang, police said today.

David Isaac Lopez, 29, is suspected in the Sept. 7 shooting death of Matthew Lamar Roberts in his driveway in the 43400 block of Burr Street, north of Fred Waring Drive, said Ben Guitron of the Indio Police Department.

Lopez “is known to have ties with the Mexican Mafia, and is a known narcotics and weapons dealer,” Guitron said.

Roberts was arrested in July on drug charges, but police have not said if drug trafficking played a role in his death.

Lopez was identified through a photographic lineup as the person who shot Roberts, Guitron said.

Amber Rader, 27, allegedly drove Lopez to and from the crime scene in a mid 1990s four-door vehicle, he said.

Lopez pleaded guilty in 2000 to possessing chemicals to create methamphetamine and was sentenced to three years in prison.

He also pleaded guilty in 2004 to possessing a firearm and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

In 2003, he admitted to possessing a controlled substance and was sentenced to three years probation.

In 2007, he pleaded guilty to stealing a trailer and was sentenced to three years probation.

He pleaded guilty in June to possession of a controlled substance was sentenced to two months behind bars and three years probation.

Rader has previous arrests for theft and weapon violations.

Lopez has a tattoo of a woman, an old man’s face and “California” on his left arm, and a the words “Half Sun, Half Moon” on his chest, according to police. He is 5 feet 11 inches and about 185 pounds.

Rader is 5 feet 5 inches and about 130 pounds.

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