Suspect in Mount Tabor Church Road murder arrested in Virginia

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Authorities have arrested the suspect in a murder last week on Mount Tabor Church Road in western Rowan County.
Balmore Merino, 38, of Iredell County was taken into custody around 9 p.m. Sunday in Fairfax County, Va., the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said.
Federal agents and local authorities in Virginia took part in the arrest, the Rowan Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
Merino is charged in the shooting death Tuesday of Parra “Pollo” Policarpio, 43, of 2045 Mount Tabor Church Road in Mount Ulla. The shooting took place at Amity Hills Farm, 2065 Mount Tabor Church Road, where Policarpio was working.
Despite an intensive manhunt in the area, Merino was able to slip away.
On Wednesday, authorities charged Mirna Del Carmen Guevara, 38, of 2065 Mount Tabor Church Road, with accessory after the fact to murder. Authorities said she helped Merino elude them.
Merino, who had been deported from the U.S. in the past, was being held without bond in Virginia Sunday night awaiting extradition to Rowan County.
See Monday’s Salisbury Post and www.salisburypost.com for full details.