giants teen villalona suspected of murder
top hitting prospect detained after shooting in dominican
by david venn / mlb.com
09/20/09 4:07 pm et
giants top prospect angel villalona has been detained in connection with a murder that occurred in the dominican republic on saturday night, according to a report by the associated press.
A police spokesman in la romana, in the east region of the dominican republic, told the ap that villalona, 19, is the prime suspect in the shooting death of 25-year-old mario felix de jesus velete.
"the incident occurred saturday at around 11 at night, and the main suspect is angel villalona", said adrian urbaez of the dominican national police.
Villalona turned himself in to local authorities on sunday afternoon.
"we know there was an incident and that there is one person dead, but we don't have the details of the case", said frank micheli, president of the azucareros del este team in the dominican winter league. Villalona is affiliated with the azucareros for winter baseball.
According to the ap, villalona will appear in court monday and could face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
Villalona, ranked no. 48 in mlb.com's preseason top 50 prospects list, made headlines in 2006 after receiving a $2.1 million signing bonus with the giants as a 16-year-old. He hit .267 with nine home runs and 42 rbis in 74 games with the san jose giants at the class a advanced level in 2009 before being shut down in early july with a quadriceps injury.
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