Suspects arrested and charged in connection with 2017 Banning homicide

Two men suspected of being involved in a 2017 shooting that killed a Banning man have been arrested and charged with murder.

On May 3, 2021, Jose Verdusco Jr. and Samuel Vasquez both of Banning were arrested for the murder of Henry Steven Waters Jr, 20.

Banning Police found Waters with multiple gunshot wounds around the 1000 Block of North Hargrave Streeton February 9, 2017 at approximately 3:07 a.m. Waters was pronounced dead at the scene.

Banning Police Detectives assumed the investigation, but the case went cold after the scene was processed and several interviews were conducted. Authorities said the case was reignited in 2019 when Banning detectives reviewed evidence from other crime scenes and started finding similarities and similar evidence to other crimes in Banning and outside the city.

"Over time Detectives started creating lists of persons of interest and worked to eliminate suspects from the list through intensive investigation," reads a post by Banning PD.

Detectives were eventually learned that Waters was walking with a friend the night he was shot. A vehicle pulled up to Waters and his friend. Police said Verdusco and Vasquez exited the vehicle and shot Waters several times. They also attempted to shoot Waters' friend, who ran and hid during the incident.

"This unprovoked cowardly criminal act again took the life of subject who was only walking with a friend," writes Banning PD.

Verdusco and Vasquez have been formally charged with Waters' murder.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.