2 suspects arrested in Gary murder of We Buy Gold store owner

GARY, Ind. (WISH) — Two men have been captured and face murder charges in connection to the murder of a man found dead inside his business in November, Gary Police Department said Monday night.

The Gary Fire Department found Brandon Cruz, 50, dead with a gunshot wound on the morning of Nov. 17 at the We Buy Gold store, 3720 Broadway, a street also known as State Road 53. That’s a few blocks south of Indiana University Northwest.

Cruz had owned the We Buy Gold store for over 17 years, his obituary says.

Derek Lanier Sanders, 23, was booked into the Lake County jail on Monday, and Charles Luis Garcia-Berrios, 32, was booked into the county jail in Crown Point on Tuesday, according to online records.

Sanders faces two murder charges, and a high-level felony count of armed robbery, according to court records. No initial hearing had been set by Tuesday night.

Garcia-Berrios faces two murder charges, and counts of attempted armed robbery, and assisting a criminal, the Gary Police Department said in a social media post on Tuesday night. No court case could be found online Tuesday night for Garcia Berrios.

Police have told local media that Cruz was opening the storefront of his business on Nov. 17 when he was shot and killed.