Daniel Gonzalez and Reginald Scott’s original plan was to rob Vicente Mundo of cannabis and cash. The two Parkland College students claimed they did not intend to kill Mundo, according to Champaign County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christopher Darr at a preliminary hearing Monday.

During the hearing held at the Champaign County Courthouse in courtroom F, Darr took the stand to explain the testimonies of how the suspects described the events that took place on the night of Mundo’s death.

Plans went awry when the meeting location was changed and instead of meeting Mundo, 20, in his apartment, they went to meet him in Gonzalez’s car in the garage of his apartment complex, Darr said.

Darr said Scott, 21,

confessed to him that his pants got caught up in the trunk from a concealed position where he was hiding. As a result, he panicked when Mundo attempted to get out of the car when he realized a threat was being imposed, and Scott fired his gun, which was determined to be the cause of Mundo’s death.

“Scott emerged from the trunk with a pistol pointed at Mundo,” Darr said. “Essentially, (Scott) stated that it was a robbery.”

Scott and Gonzalez “drove out to the country and disposed of the body by a row of trees,” Darr said. Mundo’s body was found Jan. 31 on a rural Tolono road.

Darr said Mundo left his apartment between 6 and 7 p.m. on Jan. 25 and told his roommates he would be right back.

Mundo was reported missing by his roommate and his sister on Jan. 27. He was last seen by a group of friends on Jan. 25. Police found that Mundo and Gonzalez had “communicated electronically” shortly before Mundo’s disappearance.

When asked by State’s Attorney Julia Rietz about what the investigation yielded, Darr said there was evidence of Mundo’s involvement in the sale of cannabis on campus.

Darr also said the two suspects admitted to having purchased ammonia and seat covers to conceal the blood in the car.

The gun was found at Pawn King in Urbana after being pawned there by Scott, who left his name and was found on video surveillance pawning the weapon. The two suspects were both arrested on Monday, Feb. 2.

Judge John Kennedy found probable cause to try both suspects, and each are required to attend pretrial hearings on April 14 at the Champaign County Courthouse in room C. Gonzalez will be charged under the belief that he is responsible for Scott’s actions. Scott’s hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. and Gonzalez’s hearing for 11 a.m.

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Editor’s note: In a previous version of this article, it was incorrectly stated that Gonzalez pawned the gun that was used in the murder and was found on video surveillance, when in fact it was Scott. The Daily Illini regrets this error.