KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com | Lubbock Man Arrested in Connection to Midland Shooting

Lubbock Man Arrested in Connection to Midland Shooting

By Wyatt Goolsby
NewsWest 9

MIDLAND - Tall City Police say they're one step closer to a motive in a two week old shooting after the suspected gunman was arrested in Lubbock. A slew of drug-related charges against the victim could soon help unravel the details. Authorities said the suspect is facing charges in both Midland and Lubbock, and detectives said their job is not over yet.

This week, Detectives in Lubbock are expected to interview the man Midland Police are sure shot detail shop owner Robert Yorkman. However, there's one catch. Yorkman's recent arrest on drug charges makes it tough for police to talk details.

"I don't believe we can really get into the specifics of that," Lieutenant Seth Herman, with the Midland Police Department, explained. "I'll say that there's a lot of speculation on it being narcotics related, but at this point,we don't have any confirmation."

When it comes to a motive in the Tall City shooting two weeks ago in the 3400 block of West Illinois, Police are staying tight-lipped until their investigation is over. For now, they told NewsWest 9 the gunman, 37-year-old Baldo Gonzalez from Lubbock, is behind bars.

Gonzalez is accused of shooting 26-year-old Robert Yorkman at his detail shop on October 20th. Lieutenant Seth Herman with the Midland Police Department said it took federal, state, and Lubbock Law Enforcement to track the suspect down.

"The problem was of course identifying the suspect. We believe that he wasn't a local individual or we would have had a number of calls from people providing tips. So, initially we believed that it was not a local subject, so we had to branch out," Herman said.

Midland Police add Gonzales and Yorkman didn't know each other. In the past two weeks, Midland Police said they've been watching the Yorkman family just in case of another shooting.

Robert Yorkman himself was arrested at his home last week on multiple drug charges. With drug dealing as one of many allegations against Yorkman, it could be the connection that led to the shooting.

Currently, Baldo Gonzalez is being held in Lubbock County on several unrelated charges. After Lubbock's charges, he's facing an Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon charge in Midland. Bond has been set at 250,000 dollars.