LA VERGNE, Tenn. (WGNS) - La Vergne police have identified the victim in a deadly shooting that occurred earlier this month as Andres Olea Perez.
Perez, 23, was killed during a shooting reported on the night of December 14th in the 1300 block of Gary Lane, according to La Vergne police. City spokesperson Donna Tracy confirmed the victim’s identity to WGNS Monday (Dec. 22nd).
Funeral arrangements for Perez were handled by Madison Funeral Home in north Nashville. An online obituary noted that the family held a private celebration of life, asking the community to keep Perez’s loved ones in their prayers.
Following the shooting, La Vergne police arrested three suspects — one juvenile and two adults — after they attempted to flee the scene, according to police news releases issued December 15th and 16th.
The juvenile suspect has been charged with second-degree murder and reckless endangerment with a weapon. Due to the suspect’s age, authorities have not released their identity. The juvenile was transported to the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center in Murfreesboro.
The juvenile’s arrest followed the earlier capture of two adult suspects — Kevin Francisco Padilla Martinez, who turns 19 next month, and Azael Lopez Hernandez, who is eight months away from his 19th birthday. Both were taken into custody in the early morning hours of December 15th after fleeing the scene in a vehicle that led to a police pursuit. When the vehicle came to a stop, the youngest of the three suspects reportedly jumped from the vehicle and fled on foot. Both adult suspects were booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.
Court records show Martinez and Hernandez are scheduled to appear in General Sessions Court on April 15th before Judge Ben Bennett at the Rutherford County Judicial Center in downtown Murfreesboro.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact the La Vergne Police Department at (615) 793-7744. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to Rutherford County Crime Stoppers at (615) 893-7867.
DISCLAIMER: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The arrest records or information about an arrest that are published or reported on NewsRadio WGNS and WGNSradio.com are not an indication of guilt or evidence that an actual crime has been committed.
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED
Brief Update: LA VERGNE, Tenn. — The quiet of a La Vergne neighborhood was shattered around 10:30 p.m. Sunday night (Dec. 14, 2025) when gunfire erupted on Gary Lane, resulting in the death of a 23-year-old man. The La Vergne Police Department confirmed that all three individuals believed to be involved in the fatal shooting are now in custody. Investigators believe the incident was targeted.
Authorities said the third suspect, a juvenile, was apprehended and placed in the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center. He faces serious charges, including second-degree murder and reckless endangerment with a weapon.
The juvenile’s arrest followed the earlier capture of two adult suspects — Kevin Francisco Padilla Martinez, who turns 19 next month, and Azael Lopez Hernandez, who is eight months away from his 19th birthday. Both were taken into custody in the early morning hours of Monday (Dec. 15, 2025) after fleeing the scene in a vehicle that led to a police pursuit. When the vehicle came to a stop, the youngest of the three suspects reportedly jumped from the vehicle and fled on foot.
Martinez is charged with second-degree murder and felony evading arrest, while Hernandez faces a charge of second-degree murder. Both men are currently being held at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, with bonds set at $995,000 for Martinez and $980,000 for Hernandez. Authorities said the swift arrests underscore the seriousness of the case and law enforcement’s commitment to public safety.
Court records indicate that criminal warrants for Martinez and Hernandez were issued at 6:50 a.m. Monday (Dec. 15, 2025). The warrants were served in the local jail approximately 25 hours later, on Tuesday morning (Dec. 16, 2025). Hernandez warrant was served at 8:20 a.m., followed by the warrant against Martinez at 8:40 a.m.
A court hearing for both suspects has been scheduled for April 15, 2026, in General Sessions Court before Judge Ben Bennett. Martinez and Hernandez are both listed as residents of Nashville.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact the La Vergne Police Department at (615) 793-7744. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to Rutherford County Crime Stoppers at (615) 893-7867.
DISCLAIMER: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The arrest records or information about an arrest that are published or reported on NewsRadio WGNS and www.WGNSradio.com are not an indication of guilt or evidence that an actual crime has been committed.
Previous: LA VERGNE, TN - The quiet of a La Vergne neighborhood was shattered around 10:30PM Sunday night (12/14/2025) when gunfire erupted on Gary Lane, resulting in the death of a 23-year-old male. The La Vergne Police Department confirmed that all three individuals believed to be involved in the fatal shooting are now in custody. Investigators believe this was a targeted incident.
Authorities revealed that the third suspect, a juvenile, was apprehended and placed in the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center. He faces serious charges, including second degree murder and reckless endangerment with a weapon.
This arrest follows the earlier capture of two adult suspects: Kevin Padilla Martinez and Azael Lopez Hernandez, who were taken into custody in the early hours of Monday (12/15/2025) morning after fleeing the scene in a vehicle and a police pursuit. The male teen reportedly jumped and fled on foot.
Martinez is charged with second-degree murder and felony evading, while Hernandez faces a charge of second-degree murder. Both men are currently detained at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, with bonds set at $995,000 and $980,000 respectively. The swift action by law enforcement underscores the gravity of the incident and the commitment to ensuring public safety.
The investigation remains active, with police urging anyone who may have information related to the case to come forward. The La Vergne Police Department can be reached at (615) 793-7744, and tips may also be submitted anonymously to Rutherford County Crime Stoppers at (615) 893-7867.
