Wednesday, February 5, 2025–8:33 a.m.
-John Bailey, Rome News-Tribune-
This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com
GBI agents, the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, and local law enforcement arrested an 18-year-old West Rome man at his home off Burnett Ferry Road on murder charges.
Around 7 p.m. neighbors in the Brookwood subdivision reported that the Floyd County SWAT team as well as a number of other police vehicles pulled up outside of the home of Andres Jared Guzman.
A loudspeaker instructed Guzman to come to the front of the East Creekview Road home and that they had warrants for his arrest.
Police arrested Guzman and took him to the Whitfield County Jail on murder charges.
On Wednesday, the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrest was made in connection with the investigation into the August 2024 shootings at Pleasant Grove Park in Dalton.
Two teens from Rome, 17-year-old Daniel Segura Cruz and 18-year-old Robert Alexis Valencia, were killed in the incident as well as 21-year-old David Antonio Delgadillo and 19-year-old Joshua Pedro Pelico-Pelico, both of Dalton.
An unidentified 16-year-old from Rome was arrested at the time and faces four counts of felony murder.
At that time the Whitfield County sheriff said they were seeking additional suspects.
According to police, several people traveled from Rome to Pleasant Grove Park to meet with Delgadillo and Pelico. Both parties were armed and at some point, they began firing at one another.
Area residents reported hearing a large amount of gunfire at Pleasant Grove Park around 11 p.m. Saturday. When deputies responded to the scene they found the four young men dead.
The sheriff’s office reported finding multiple firearms and a “significant” number of shell casings at the scene. A white Toyota SUV, pockmarked with bullet holes, was taken from the scene.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the case.
Anyone with any information regarding the incident can call the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office at 706-278-1233 or the GBI tip line at 800-597-8477.