 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - Police announced Friday the arrest of a La Habra man accused of shooting a victim found burned inside a vehicle in Pomona September 20. Gerardo Jesus Zendejas, a 26-year-old La Habra man was identified as a suspect. He was located in La Habra and arrested September 26. He was booked on suspicion in murdering David Peña, Pomona Police said. Peña was reportedly sitting in his vehicle in the 1400 block of South Park Avenue after a day of work when a suspect or suspects pulled up in a dark-colored vehicle and opened fire. The vehicle was soon intentionally engulfed in flames, Pomona Police said.
A motive for the murder is either unknown or has not been publicly shared. Zendejas is being held in lieu of $2 million bail and is scheduled for an appearance in Pomona Superior Court September 30, according to Los Angeles County booking records.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - The man accused of emailing a fake threat to get out of going to the L.A. County Fair with his parents pleaded guilty Thursday. After pleading guilty to false threats, 24-year-old Erik Jonathan Villasenor was sentenced to 180 days in the county jail, three years probation, a stay away protective order during the length of probation and he was ordered to pay restitution, Pomona Police announced. Officers became aware of the threat at 2:49 p.m. Friday, September 13. Villasenor emailed staff at the Pomona Fairplex and stated that he was made aware of a possible mass shooting at the L.A. County Fair -- all in an effort to prevent going to the fair with his parents, according to Pomona Police Chief Michael Olivieri.
Pomona Police officers, detectives, the Pomona Police FBI Sate Streets Task Force and terrorism liaisons began investigating the threat and identified three possible suspects within one to two hours. Villasenor was found at his residence by Pomona detectives. He reportedly admitted to the hoax and he was subsequently arrested, Pomona Police said.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - A barricaded man was jailed Wednesday after a SWAT team deployed tear gas into a home, forcing the suspect and his victim to flee, police said. The suspect, 42-year-old Marco Antonio Lujan of Pomona, was arrested at 7 a.m. September 25 and booked on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Officers responded to the 700 block of Gilbert Street just before midnight September 24 to reports of gunfire and a man with a weapon forcing a woman into a home, Pomona Police said. A perimeter was set, nearby residents evacuated and an emergency search warrant was written for the suspect residence.
Several occupants, including children, fled the home about 10 minutes after police made announcements. Officers working the perimeter located an AR-15 and blood spattered on a vehicle. The tear gas was deployed soon after. Both the suspect and a woman fled the home, Pomona Police said. It is unclear who the blood belonged to and it has not been stated if the woman sustained injuries.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - A body burned beyond recognition was found by firefighters extinguishing a vehicle fire in Pomona September 20. The vehicle fire was reported in the 1400 block of South Park Avenue around 4 a.m. Officers were also responding to a report of gunfire. After coroner investigators removed the victim, the body displayed evidence of being shot, according to the Pomona Police Department. The victim still has yet to be identified, according to Lt. David Smith of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Officers also found evidence indicating gunfire occurred near the vehicle.
“Investigators believe the individuals who set fire to the vehicle may have also sustained burns over their bodies,” Pomona Police said. Anyone with information on the shooting and fire is urged to call Pomona Police at 909-620-2085. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - The suspect accused of making threats against Citrus College at the beginning of the years is scheduled for a court appearance. Terrell Lee Bennett, a 31-year-old Chino man, is scheduled for a pretrial hearing in Pomona Superior Court Tuesday. Bennett faces one felony count each of making criminal threats and unlawful possession of ammunition. Bennett was taken into custody January 15 during an hours-long lockdown of Citrus College after the suspect called police and threatened the school. Bennett called Glendora Police at 11:17 a.m. and threatened to shoot up the school. Within 11 minutes, police had the campus and surrounding streets locked down. Mutual aid from numerous surrounding agencies arrived soon after to assist, Glendora Police said.
Bennett surrendered peacefully on the Citrus College campus nearly five hours after making the threats, according to the Glendora Police Department. After being arrested, Bennett made statements alluding to a desire to die by officer gunfire, police said. Bennett was enrolled in online courses at Citrus College and was scheduled to appear for an in-person class, Glendora Police said. Nearby Azusa Pacific University was also placed on lockdown during the search. If convicted as charged, Bennett faces a possible maximum of 10 years and four months in state prison.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - Police located a suspect who emailed a threat against the Los Angeles County Fair Friday, September 13. Erik Villasenor, 24, from Sylmar, was found at his residence by Pomona detectives. He reportedly admitted to the hoax and he was subsequently arrested, Pomona Police said. Officers became aware of the threat at 2:49 p.m. Friday.
Police did not publish the exact contents of the email. Villasenor was arrested at 1 a.m. Saturday for making false threats and was booked at the Pomona jail. Villasenor is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Pomona Superior Court September 17.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - Police announced Thursday the arrest of the man seen in a series of armed robberies across town. The suspect, who remains unnamed, was identified as a Pomona resident through the work of the police department’s Special Investigations Unit. He is accused in a series of robberies from July 29 to September 8. The suspect targeted cell phone stores, gas stations with mini marts and also targeted insurance offices — all within a close geographical area, Pomona Police said.
One of the suspect’s Crimes was caught on surveillance camera August 31 when he fought with a female employee at an insurance office and ultimately stole cash. “We would like to thank the community and the media for their assistance with this incident. We are grateful for our continued partnership to make this community safe for all our residents and visitors,” Pomona Police said in a written statement.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - The adult suspects accused of killing a 17-year-old runaway are scheduled for a preliminary hearing Friday. Christian Granados and Frediz Lopez, two 20-year-olds from Los Angeles, were charged with the murder of Sylmar runaway Johanna Lisette Mejia Gaytan. Her body was discovered in a culvert near East Fork Road November 24, 2018. Granados and Lopez were arrested by Sheriff’s Homicide detectives in the early part of December, 2018. A 16-year-old Compton girl was also arrested and charged with murder, according to Deputy Morgan Arteaga of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. Both men pleaded not guilty to Gaytan’s murder in late June 2019. The charges include a special circumstance allegation that the suspects were active participants in a criminal street gang and that the murder was carried out to further the activities of the criminal street gang, according to Los Angeles County do Attorney’s Office Public Information Officer Ricardo Santiago.
The status of the teen suspect’s case is not publicly known. A resident called 9-1-1 around 12:15 p.m. Saturday November 24, 2018 after discovering Gayton’s body. Deputies from the San Dimas Station arrived to East Fork Road at mile marker 1.25 and declared Gayton dead at the scene, Gayton’s body was in a culvert adjacent to a turnout. Her death is listed as a homicide resulting from blunt head trauma, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner- Coroner. The preliminary hearing is scheduled at Pomona Superior Court.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - A fleeing suspect was caught running from police September 7 after ditching a bag of cash and stolen handguns. Police initially tried to make contact with the suspect in the 1600 block of Russell Place just before 5 p.m. after witnessing him drinking beer in a parked vehicle and holding a black bag. He was caught after running a short distance, loaded handguns and cash were found in the bag, Pomona Police said. The firearms were determined stolen. The amount of cash in the black bag was indicative of narcotics sales, Pomona Police said. “Based on the investigation, officers armed themselves with a search warrant for the suspect's residence,” Pomona Police said in a written statement.
Items consistent with narcotics sales were located along with nearly a half pound of methamphetamine, Pomona Police said. Pomona resident Alberto Mendoza, 34, was booked on suspicion of possession of firearms and a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sales and possession of stolen firearms. The arrest resulted from enforcement patrols with the Pomona Police Major Crimes Task Force.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - A man is sought in a string of daring robberies and attempted robberies, one of which was caught in daylight on security camera. The suspect was recorded as he violently attacked an employee at ALE Insurance, 1285 S. Garey Ave., August 31. The suspect pretended to be a customer, left the business and returned with a knife he brandished from his waistband. The suspect and employee fought each other; the latter grabbed for the knife as the suspect kept the employee at bay by holding her long hair. The employee was slammed against a bookshelf and held against the floor.
The suspect eventually stole roughly $1,000 from the employee’s desk. The armed suspect is wanted in connection for three gas station robberies where money from the cash register was demanded while brandishing a weapon, Pomona Police said. Anyone with information on a suspect is urged to call Pomona Police at 909-622-1241. Information can be provided anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). |
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