Medical examiner identifies 26-year-old man shot to death in fight

A 26-year-old man died of a gunshot wound to the torso Dec. 4 at Harborview Medical Center following an argument earlier in the morning in the 4200 block of Southeast Third Street in Renton.

The death of Joel Ortega was ruled a homicide by the King County Medical Examiner. His hometown wasn’t immediately available.

Two Auburn men were charged Wednesday in the case. Their arraignment is Dec. 22 at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. They were in jail earlier in the week.

Soretha Diep, 27, was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree illegal possession of a firearm. Chantha Chan Khuy, 25, was charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance.

Renton Police officers responded to a report of a fight involving gunshots at about 1:16 a.m., according to Renton Police Commander Floyd Eldridge. Suspects had fled the area in a vehicle and three male subjects in their mid 20s were taken into custody a short distance from the scene.

Witnesses indicated a fight involving an estranged husband and wife broke out in the front yard of a residence and as the three men were leaving, one of them fired a handgun from the vehicle striking the victim, according to Eldridge. Police, fire and medics were called to the scene.

Ortega was transported to Harborview Medical Center with life threatening injuries.