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Prosecutors say Martin's shooter was trying to abduct employee

Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker describes what happened Monday night at the Jackson Boulevard Martin's Supermarkets store. She urged people to be aware of their surroundings and praised a customer for noticing something wasn't right.
Jeff Parrott/WVPE
Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker describes what happened Monday night at the Jackson Boulevard Martin's Supermarkets store. She urged people to be aware of their surroundings and praised a customer for noticing something wasn't right.

The man who fatally shot two people in an Elkhart Martin’s store Monday night appeared to be trying to abduct the 19-year-old employee he killed.

Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker described what happened at a press conference Friday.

Becker says 54-year-old Juan Sanchez had filled a cart with alcohol and parked it near the self-checkout area. He had been pushing the cart around for about 20 minutes and watching young females throughout the store.

Becker says the investigation has revealed that Sanchez was drawn to young females.

She says he waited for 19-year-old employee Annasue Rocha to staff the self-checkout area, then he started scanning his alcohol. When she brought his ID back to him, he showed her his gun and grabbed her by the wrist.

Becker says a female customer had noticed something seemed off with how Annasue, known as “Annie,” was interacting with the man so she told a manager. The manager confronted him.

That gave Annie a moment to free herself and step back, but then Sanchez fatally shot her.

Some people ran for the exits. Ben and Valarie Jeffery ran back into the store. Sanchez as he was walking out of the store, still pushing the cart, turned back and fired into the store, hitting Ben Jeffery in the back, killing him also.

Valarie Jeffery, speaking with WVPE earlier Friday, says it felt like she was pushed down to the floor from behind. She says the bullets had hit Ben in the back.

"And I know he pushed me out of the way because if he wouldn't have pushed me out of the way, or an angel pushed me out of the way, I would have been dead too," she said. "And I know that God wanted his story to be told because he helped me survive, and it was just a testament of God's protecting me so that I can tell his story because people need Jesus. They need Jesus so bad, this world needs Jesus so bad."

Valarie says Ben had strong faith in God and he felt called to protect others.

"He always said, 'Valarie I will protect you, I don't care, I will give my life to protect you. I'll do whatever I have to do because that's who I am, I'm a protector."

Becker said Sanchez then left the store with the cart and walked across the street, then around the east side of the apartment building next to the store. That's when Elkhart police officers Paul Vandenburg and Ethan Pasternak confronted him, they exchanged fire, and Sanchez died from his wounds.

Vandenburg and Pasternak have been treated and released from the hospital.

Becker said Sanchez had moved to Elkhart from Illinois in April and had no criminal record locally. But since the shootings, she said investigators have learned about young women who've reported "suspicious behavior" by Sanchez.

"He had recently had some changes in his personal life that may have eroded whatever prior self-control or self-regulation that he had been able to exhibit," Becker said. "However on Monday evening that self-control was not present."

Becker says the customer who alerted the manager probably saved lives.

"Just to remind everyone, pay attention," she said. "One of the witnesses articulated, as a woman you can tell when other women are in trouble, and that is true. But all of us have the ability to use our common sense and our observation powers, and protect ourselves, so I hope this to be very empowering for everyone listening and watching."

Parrott, a longtime public radio fan, comes to WVPE with about 25 years of journalism experience at newspapers in Indiana and Michigan, including 13 years at The South Bend Tribune. He and Kristi have two children currently attending Indiana University in Bloomington. In his free time he enjoys fixing up their home, following his favorite college and professional sports teams, and watching TV (yes that's an acceptable hobby).