2 suspects in Southcenter mall parking garage murder plead guilty

SEATTLE — Two of three suspects in a 2022 murder in the parking garage of Westfield Southcenter mall in Tukwila have now pleaded guilty.

According to court filings, Cristopher Ruvalcaba, 21, and Joe Aguilera, 19, entered guilty pleas to charges of second-degree murder this week, admitting their involvement in the November 2022 shooting death of Christopher Wesolowicz.

The third suspect, Kevin Diaz Bautista, 17, has not entered a plea and is scheduled to appear in court later this week.

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Police allege the trio killed Wesolowicz while they were attempting to steal his car and he interrupted them.

Ruvalcaba admitted in court filings that he fired the shots that killed Wesolowicz, but prosecutors said all three suspects were in the act of committing a felony together and all three were charged with second-degree murder.

Surveillance video captured the three men pulling into the parking garage in a white Hyundai sedan, which had previously been reported as stolen, and they pulled into a stall next to Wesolowicz's parked and unoccupied vehicle, a gray Hyundai SUV. Two men got out of the car and broke the rear drivers' side window of Wesolowicz's vehicle, while the third person moved to the driver's seat of the white Hyundai and appeared to be holding a firearm, according to court documents.

One of the men got into Wesolowicz's SUV, while another stood watch. It's at that time Wesolowicz and his wife arrived and were walking toward their vehicle when they realized what's happening. Wesolowicz unlocked his SUV, causing the lights to flash, alerting the intruders, and they jumped back into their original vehicle.

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Court documents say Wesolowicz jumped onto the men's white Hyundai, slamming his back into the windshield and breaking the glass. He then popped off the hood and landed on his feet with his back to their vehicle. That's when one of the men can be seen raising his hand and firing four shots toward Wesolowicz, court documents say. Surveillance video also captured gunshots shattering the front driver's side window, indicating a second shooter, court documents state.

After pleading guilty Ruvalcaba and Aguilera could face up to life in prison, but a plea agreement indicates prosecutors plan to ask for each to be sentenced to 171 months in prison. Court records do not yet show a sentencing date.