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player ready...A 16-year-old teen is facing a murder case in adult court in connection with a Hammond marijuana dealer’s death earlier this year, documents allege.
The Post-Tribune is not naming him, since he is a minor. He was 15 at the time of 19-year-old Armando Velasquez’s Jan. 14 shooting death.
Police believe Velasquez died in a robbery setup.
The charged teen is facing two counts of murder and one count of attempted robbery. He is in custody, held without bail. His case was waived up from juvenile court Friday.
Co-defendant Angelo Matela, 19, was charged in February. Both suspects were arrested in a SWAT raid.
After he was shot, Velasquez called a witness. He only made it to Briar East Liquors, 3127 169th St., where he walked inside and collapsed. Documents state he was shot in the back shoulder and the bullet exited his chest. His death was ruled a homicide.
The store called 911 around 5:50 p.m.
Police found a bloodied, stolen, empty Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun in the vehicle Velasquez drove. His relative told police he borrowed the Nissan Pathfinder at 5:30 p.m., then called them within 20 minutes, saying he was wounded.
An Instagram message thread showed Velasquez went to the 6600 block of Kansas Avenue to sell “three gas hunters” and “good goods” for $165.
A search warrant for Instagram linked the other account to Matela.
Another Instagram account was linked to the now charged teen. He was already on an ankle monitor for a Dec. 21, 2025, stolen car case. The monitor put him at the scene when Velasquez was shot.
Police got other tips that an “Angelo” bragged about setting Velasquez up.
Investigators cite a lengthy Instagram thread starting about an hour before Velasquez was shot, where Matela appears to coordinate a robbery with the charged teen.