Two men wanted in the slaying of employee Celia Meza while robbing a Burger King restaurant in Arvada were arrested early today by members of the Savannah-Chatham Metro SWAT team in Savannah, Ga.
The men were identified by Georgia authorities as a 17-year-old juvenile and Anthony John Lowe, 21.
Meza, 30, was gunned down about 3 a.m. Sunday after several people entered the restaurant at 64th Avenue and Ward Road, opened fire and robbed it.
Meza worked in the kitchen, according to her husband, Carlos Rodriguez. She usually worked during the week. She had been asked by a supervisor to come in Saturday night for the 11 p.m.-to-7 a.m. shift, Rodriguez said.
Sgt. Mike Wilson of the Savannah-Chatham Police Department said that the agency received information that the two suspects were en route from the Denver area to Sanford, Fla., and were expected to change buses in Savannah.
Wilson said the information was developed by Arvada police who had learned of their travel plans.
Lowe and the teen suspect arrived at the Greyhound Bus Station on Oglethorpe Avenue between 12:20 and 12:30 a.m. today. Wilson said a dozen members of the SWAT team, all dressed in civilian clothes, were stationed in the bus station, each armed with photos of the suspects.
“When the two suspects got off the bus, they were hit by an element of surprise” as officers surrounded them, Wilson said. They did not resist.
“Detectives with Arvada and the Savannah-Chatham Police Department coordinated operations to ensure the pair would go no further than Savannah,” Wilson added.
Susan Medina, public information officer for the Arvada police, said leads had been developed in the 48 hours since the shooting that had lead to the two suspects.
Medina said Arvada Police believe there may be additional suspects, and detectives in Colorado are currently at a “critical point” in determining who else may be involved.
Medina said two Arvada officers are on their way to Georgia to interview the two suspects.
Staff writer Howard Pankratz can be reached at 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
