Police searching for murder suspect

Published On: Dec 31 2012 05:56:13 PM PST   Updated On: Dec 31 2012 05:57:46 PM PST
Major Crimes investigating fatal shooting in north Spokane
SPOKANE, Wash. -

Spokane police continue their search for the suspect in what hopefully will be the last homicide of 2012.

On Sunday, patrol officers were called to a home near the intersection of Wall and Augusta on reports that a man had been shot to death there. Now major crimes detectives say they have probable cause to arrest Salvador Rivera Romero, 26, for that killing.

The shooting has all the hallmarks of a drug -related murder with both the suspect and the home where the murder happened having a history of guns and drug dealing.

About 5:30 p.m. Sunday witnesses said the gunman knocked on the door, and when the victim answered he was shot to death. Patrol officers flooded the area looking for the suspect but later determined he had driven away from the scene.

The three women inside the home at the time of the shooting were taken down to the Public Safety Building and detectives later determined Rivera Romero was a viable suspect.

"They're doing some research on the people that frequent the house. We're looking at previous calls we've had to the location. We're looking up people's criminal history that might be involved with this," Spokane Police Captain Brad Arleth said.

The suspect's criminal history does include drug charges and was deported to Mexico at one point in his life. Rivera Romero was most recently arrested in Moses Lake also has connections to the Tri-Cities.

He was last seen possibly driving a dark colored Dodge Intrepid.

The medical examiner identified the victim Monday afternoon as Aaron Cummings, Cummings, 27, died from a gunshot wound to the chest.