Mom breaks silence about son’s murder

A Pueblo mom is speaking out about her son’s murder after two men were arrested and recently charged in the 2014 shooting death.

Pueblo police announced on Thursday evening that two men — Anthony Montoya, 31, and James Montoya, 50 — were arrested in the 2600 block of Oakland Avenue.

Both men face first-degree murder charges in the death of Mario Gendoes, 18.

Gendoes-Saldana was found shot to death in the 600 block of Portland Ave. on May 6, 2014.

Gendoes-Saldana’s mom, Theresa Saldana, said she will never heal after her son’s death.

“Your whole world just stops and you feel like you failed as a mom because people just take your children and brutally murdered someone and there is nothing you can do,” said Saldana.

She was both frustrated and worried during the months she waited for police to make arrests in the case.

“Your whole world stops and everything becomes very panicky,” said Saldana.

Saldana said she knows the two men arrested.

“I had a feeling who it was the whole time while we were looking,” said Saldana.

Gendoes-Saldana’s girlfriend also knew the men.

“Knowing that someone that I knew took his life, he did not deserve it in that way and there is nothing I can do to bring him back and change what happened on that night,” said Felecita Montoya.

Montoya said she andGendoes-Saldana had gotten in a fight days before. He told her he was on his way to her house to talk, but never showed up.

“It wasn’t like Mario to disappear,” said Montoya.

Both women said they cannot elaborate on the mens’ relationship and their connection because of the upcoming court case.

Both women want justice.

“I hope the people that took him pay,” said Montoya.

“He is going to get justice but it doesn’t mean he is coming home. They don’t understand that when they kill someone, it’s final. He was somebody’s son, he was somebody’s brother, he was somebody’s loved one, they didn’t have a right to take him, no one has the right to take my baby,” said Saldana.

Police said the men are also the suspects inThursday afternoon’s shootingnear Cypress Street and W. Mesa Avenue that sent a man to the hospital with a leg wound.

Officers said James Montoya shot Jesus Campos, 39. They also said at least five shots were fired and a dog was shot in the jaw. Both are expected to survive.

Officers said parole officers arrested the Montoyas at their home and both are facing first-degree assault charges for this shooting.

Police said Anthony Montoya was also arrested on a parole warrant for menacing.

Bond for both men has been set at $500,000.