By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
KANNAPOLIS ó Police are searching for a 35-year-old man who they say killed his wife and an unidentified man at his home Saturday night.
First-degree murder warrants have been issued for Joaquin Alvarez Rios, who police say fled to Charlotte shortly after the killings.
Police Chief Woody Chavis said police got a call around 10:30 p.m. Saturday from a residence on Norland Avenue off McLain Road in the Cabarrus County section of the city.
A woman reported that Rios, her brother, had brought his two children to her home and asked her to keep them. The woman, whose identity was not immediately available, told authorities her brother said “he had done something bad” and needed to talk to police.
By the time officers arrived at the Norland Avenue address, Rios had left.
Chavis said police then went to Rios’ home at 702 W. 8th St., in the Rowan section of the city. They found no one at home but the door was unlocked.
Officers entered the house and found two bodies, one male and one female.
They were shot multiple times with a pistol.
Police confirmed that the woman was Rios’ wife and mother of his children. Her name was not immediately available.
Late Sunday, police had not been able to identify the male victim.
“We don’t know who he is. He’s an Hispanic male. We’ve done everything we can to find out who the guy is,” Chavis said.
Police believe the shooting resulted from some type of domestic dispute.
Charlotte police are assisting in efforts to find Rios, who has relatives in the Freedom Drive area of Charlotte. His car was found in that area around 2 a.m. Sunday.
Police contacted the Rowan County Department of Social Services to arrange care for the two children.
Police are asking for help in locating Rios and in identifying the male victim.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Kannapolis Police Department at 704-920-4000 or Cabarrus Area Crimestoppers at 704-932-7463.