“I can’t believe she’s dead:” Friends mourn murdered siblings as police search for killer

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County police have identified two men they say were involved in the double murders of a 23-year-old mother and her 16-year-old brother.

Maria Rosaria Montes Dorantes and Juan Angel Montes were both found shot to death on the side of I-85/985 in Gwinnett County on Sunday.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Police said they have now charged Manuel Lorenzo Sanchez, 41, with two counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a felony and attempt to commit certain crimes.

Ricardo Lorenzo Montes, 24, has also been charged with tampering with evidence.

TRENDING STORIES:

• 2 metro Atlanta cities make top 3 in list of 25 best places to live in the Southeast
• TRAFFIC ALERT: Road partially collapses near busy DeKalb County intersection
• Family IDs rising Atlanta actor, model as man killed in possible road rage shooting

Police said they don’t know where the men are and are asking anyone who sees them to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.

Channel 2′s Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson was at police headquarters Friday night, where he talked with friends of the victims. They said the loss of Rosaria is particularly painful since she is a mother with one baby in Georgia and two more that she supported in Mexico.

A friend who didn’t want to be identified for safety reasons said Rosaria moved from Mexico to Griffin four years ago for a better life for her three kids.

“I can’t believe she’s dead,” the friend said. “She was the only one that was supporting the kids in Mexico. She was the one who was sending money.

Friends said Sanchez was a friend of the family and someone Rosaria trusted.

Police believe he shot and killed Rosaria and her brother right on the side of the highway sometime between 3:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday morning. By 7:30 p.m. Sunday, a passerby found their bodies in the grass.

“I hope they can get him so he can pay for what he did,” the friend said. “You don’t have no excuse to take somebody’s life.”

Police said both men are from the area of the Georgia/Alabama line, but they could be anywhere now.

The siblings’ mother lives in Mexico. Friends said she already lost two other children to murder in their home country.

“These two were the only ones that she had left,” the friend said.

Sanchez had a prior arrest for domestic violence.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Channel 2′s Matt Johnson spoke to friends of the siblings earlier this week, who said they went out with a man they didn’t know on Saturday night. They said they knew something was wrong when Dorantes didn’t pick up her baby from the babysitter.

Family members are now trying to raise money to send the siblings’ bodies back to Mexico, where their mother lives.

Brother, sister both found shot to death on the shoulder of I-85 in Gwinnett County They were 23 and 16 years old.

©2023 Cox Media Group