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NEWS

Woman accused of arming sons in Old Town homicide

Police say Latasha Hicks left 'pile of guns' at front door before deadly confrontation

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Latasha Hicks

A mother is behind bars after police say she provided guns to her sons before they lured a man to their home and fatally shot him last month near Old Town.  

Latasha Hicks, 44, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, an open count of murder and child abuse — the latter for allowing three teens, including two of her children, to be in the vicinity of the April 9 homicide of Gabriel Montaño, 20. 

The charges come almost a month after Hicks' sons, Xavier Torres, 22, and John Gonzales, 19, were charged in Montaño’s killing.

Police responded to the shooting around 8 p.m. and found Montaño shot to death outside Hicks' home in the 3200 block of Don Gabal NW, near Mountain and Gabaldon. Police said Gonzales and Torres, who were detained at the scene, told them they shot Montaño in self-defense after he pulled a gun.

On April 20, a video was sent to prosecutors that showed an unarmed Montaño arguing with Torres and Gonzales, who both had guns in their hands, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. The pair opened fire on Montaño before "a gun could be seen” in his possession and they continued to shoot him after he fell to the ground.

Detectives found messages between Hicks and Gonzales that showed she knew of the brewing confrontation between her sons and Montaño, the complaint states. In the messages, police said Hicks and Gonzales spoke of buying guns, ammunition and bulletproof vests to prepare.

Hicks asked her son to help her find "something good" — apparently referring to a firearm — and referred to asking "a real estate lady" to find the home where Montaño lived, according to the complaint.  

Prior to Montaño showing up to the home, Hicks brought a rifle to the front door and police said she provided her sons with both guns used to kill Montaño, the complaint states. In a search of the home, detectives found other guns in her younger child's bedroom and in a backpack "open and accessible to anyone."