Youth Charged with Murder Following Vape Shop Shooting

An 18-year-old man, Cordel Bice, appeared in a Grant County judge's courtroom on Friday, four days after a 17-year-old boy was fatally shot during a vape sale in Marion. Bice faces two counts of murder and one count each of robbery and theft in the death of Julio Matamoros.

According to a probable cause affidavit, investigators met with a witness named "J.B." who said he drove Bice to the liquor store where the shooting occurred. J.B. stated that Bice arranged the exchange and met Matamoros in the victim's car. The two started arguing over THC vapes, and J.B. heard Bice say, "You don't want to lose your life over this," before witnessing Bice shoot Matamoros inside the vehicle.

J.B. told investigators that he and Bice drove away from the liquor store after the shooting. He said Bice ordered him to pull over so he could get rid of "the pipe" and then watched Bice throw the gun in a trash can. Police later recovered the firearm. J.B. also mentioned that they returned to his apartment, where Bice changed his clothes and left.

During a search of J.B.'s apartment, police found THC vapes that J.B. claimed Bice took from Matamoros after the shooting. Investigators later found and detained Bice at an apartment on South Miller Avenue. He was arrested on preliminary charges of robbery and attempted murder and transported to the Grant County Jail.

Bice was formally charged on Thursday and made an initial court appearance on Friday. A preliminary hearing date has not been set.