 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Two suspects were recently jailed in connection with the death of a man washed up and stuffed in a barrel in Malibu and the larger of the two has a local crime connection.
Dennis Eugene Vance, 41, and Joshua Lee Simmons, 37, were arrested October 3 and charged in the death of Javonnta Marshann Murphy. Murphy’s body was found stuffed in a metal barrel that washed up at Malibu Lagoon State Beach. Murphy died of a gunshot wound to his head. Simmons was infamously caught on cellphone video after being beat back by employees of a jewelry store during an attempted robbery September 2 in El Monte. Simmons was charged with murder, personal use of a firearm and criminal threats. For the El Monte incident, he was also charged with attempted robbery, criminal threats and personal use of bear spray. Vance was charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact in Murphy’s death. Simmons is being held in lieu of nearly $3.3 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Los Angeles Municipal Court November 3.  PHOTO courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The suspect who hid away in Mexico until federal and Mexican authorities took him into custody faced arraignment on multiple murder charges Tuesday. Octavio Curiel Martinez, 38, was charged with one count each of murder, murder of a human fetus, attempted murder, shooting at an inhabited structure, assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, three misdemeanor counts each of cruelty to a child by endangering health, two counts each of assault with a firearm, injuring a spouse and child abuse, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Martinez also faced the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders and allegations of using a handgun, Santiago said. Martinez is accused of shooting and killing estranged wife Ana Nuñez, 37, and their unborn child August 29, 2018 in their El Monte home. Martinez was extradited from Mexico to the U.S. January 3 and arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies. Martinez, a Mexican national, was originally arrested by Mexican police on unrelated charges May 17, 2019 in Bolanos, Jalisco, Mexico -- right where investigators believed he fled. Nuñez’s family went to her El Monte home to check on her hours after Martinez allegedly fired upon, but failed to injure a family member. She was found with multiple gunshot wounds, investigators said. Nunez and her unborn child later died at a hospital. The coroner listed her cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds of the torso. The estranged couple share additional children who were not home when the shooting took place, investigators said. A state warrant was issued for Curiel-Martinez’s arrest September 5, 2018. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued a federal arrest warrant March 15, 2019 and he was federally charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, the FBI said.
The arrest and extradition was the work of the Policía Federal Ministerial, Fiscalia General de la Republica, Instituto Nacional de Migracion, the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Mexico City, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives, the El Monte Police Department and the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. The extradition was handled by prosecutors with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs. “Curiel-Martinez’s extradition was sponsored by the U.S. government’s “Project Welcome Home,” which provides funding for the transportation of FBI fugitives to the United States, where the repatriation by the host country occurs through deportation or extradition,” the FBI said. A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of Curiel-Martinez, but it is unclear if anyone will claim the reward. If convicted as charged, Martinez faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The manner of death for a man found inside a vehicle in El Monte last week was revealed recently. Michael Meza, 27, died from a gunshot wound to the head. His death was ruled a homicide, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Meza was found dead inside a parked vehicle in the 11000 block of E. Lower Azusa Road just after 7:30 a.m. Friday, March 6. He was found in the driver seat. He was likely killed the same morning he was found, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3 Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The man found shot dead inside a vehicle in El Monte March 6. Michael Meza, 27, was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Meza was discovered dead inside a vehicle parked in the 11000 block of East Lower Azusa Road just after 7:30 a.m. Friday. Meza reportedly suffered from at least one gunshot wound, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
Investigators haven’t stated publicly if Meza died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, or if someone else pulled the trigger. A coroner exam has yet to be scheduled, according to public coroner records. Investigators believe the shooting occurred in the early morning hours March 6. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Provide information anonymously by calling L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3 Tips mobile app, or at lacrimestoppers.org.  PHOTOS/Courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - The FBI announced the extradition and arrest of a man sought in a shooting that claimed his spouse’s life and their unborn child. Octavio Curiel-Martinez, 37, was extradited from Mexico to the U.S. January 3 and arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies. He awaits prosecution by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, according to a joint statement issued by the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. Curiel-Martinez, a Mexican national, was originally arrested by Mexican police on unrelated charges May 17, 2019 in Bolanos, Jalisco, Mexico -- right where investigators believed he fled after they say he killed his estranged wife, Ana Maria Nunez, 37, and their unborn child. The county DA formally requested Curiel-Martinez’s extradition and a provisional arrest warrant was issued by the Mexican government May 23, 2019. Family of Nunez went to her El Monte home August 29, 2018 to check on her welfare hours after Curiel-Martinez allegedly fired upon, but failed to injure a family member. Nunez was found with multiple gunshot wounds, investigators said. Nunez and her unborn child later died at a hospital. The coroner listed her cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds of the torso.
The shooting took place in the 2700 block of Leafdale Avenue in El Monte. The estranged couple share additional children who were not home when the shooting took place, investigators said. Curiel-Martinez was charged in Los Angeles County Superior Court with two counts of murder, attempted murder, two counts of assault with a firearm, shooting at an inhabited dwelling or occupied car, two counts of corporal injury to a spouse, assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, two counts of felony child endangerment and six counts of misdemeanor child endangerment, the FBI said. A state warrant was issued for Curiel-Martinez’s arrest September 5, 2018. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued a federal arrest warrant March 15, 2019 and he was federally charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, the FBI said. The arrest and extradition was the work of the Policía Federal Ministerial, Fiscalia General de la Republica, Instituto Nacional de Migracion, the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Mexico City, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives, the El Monte Police Department and the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. The extradition was handled by prosecutors with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs. “Curiel-Martinez’s extradition was sponsored by the U.S. government’s “Project Welcome Home,” which provides funding for the transportation of FBI fugitives to the United States, where the repatriation by the host country occurs through deportation or extradition,” the FBI said. A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of Curiel-Martinez, but it is unclear if anyone will claim the reward.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Several people in a reported stolen Toyota were taken into custody Tuesday after recklessly leading authorities across several cities, a Sheriff’s sergeant said. The pursuit was initiated by authorities with a multi-jurisdictional auto theft task force in the West Covina area September 17. The pursuit went as far south as the Pico Rivera border from the 605 freeway before deputies cancelled the chase due to unsafe speeds, according to Lt. Verlich of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Pico Rivera Station. Pico Rivera deputies first joined the pursuit at 3:35 p.m. It was unclear if the stolen vehicle investigation was conducted by the Taskforce for Regional Autotheft Prevention (TRAP). The driver, still followed by unmarked task force personnel, journeyed back north to the El Monte and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station jurisdiction before heading south on the 605 freeway again. The pursuit was witnessed by a SGV CityWatch reader as El Monte Police followed the stolen vehicle with the assistance of a helicopter.
El Monte officers were notified by the helicopter pilot at 3:43 p.m. and picked up the pursuit at Valley Boulevard and the 605 freeway after deputies decided to cancel the chase, according to Lt. Michael Buckhannon of the El Monte Police Department. Due to the driver’s reckless nature, El Monte officers ended the chase somewhere in the City of Industry at 3:57 p.m., Buckhannon said. It is unclear how many of the suspects were booked on charges and if the suspects were detained without further incident.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The California Highway Patrol arrested a carjacking and pursuit suspect after he fled across lanes of the 110 freeway south of the 91 freeway Tuesday. A victim called El Monte Police around 11:42 p.m. July 9 to report being carjacked on the I-10 freeway east of the 605 in Baldwin Park. El Monte officers located the vehicle, the driver refused to stop and fled south on the 605 freeway, according to Lt. Michael Buckhannon of the El Monte Police Department. The pursuit was turned over to the CHP. Officers from a handful of CHP stations chased the suspect as he drove through area freeways. The suspect attempted to take the south 110 freeway from the northbound 405, but lost control of the vehicle and crashed.
The suspect ran across north and southbound lanes of the 110 freeway and was caught a short time later, according to a written statement provided by Simeon Yarbrough of the California Highway Patrol South Los Angeles Area office. Arrested was Gabriel Lopez, 33, who was booked on suspicion of carjacking, kidnapping, grand theft and vehicle theft. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to the CHP.  Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor EL MONTE - Police and Sheriff’s deputies have a pursuit suspect surrounded in a mobile home park as the driver refuses to stop. The driver behind a reported stolen vehicle from West Covina is circling the roads in the Brookside Country Club, 12700 Elliot Ave. All entrances and exits into the mobile home park are covered, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s radio traffic. A deputy with the Sheriff’s Temple Station began pursuing the suspect in the El Monte area just after 9 p.m. after the deputy discovered the license plate belonged to a stolen vehicle.
The driver fled the deputy through El Monte streets into the Brookside Country Club where El Monte officers took over the pursuit. No officers are chasing the suspect at this time as they hold the entrances and exits, likely hoping the suspect surrenders willingly. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate!  PHOTO/Beaumont Police. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor BEAUMONT - A 60-year-old teacher at El Monte Union High School District was jailed March 19 in a sexual abuse case that occurred in 2018, Beaumont Police announced. Miguel Yvan Lazo, a Beaumont resident, was arrested at El Monte High School, 3048 Tyler Ave., Tuesday and was booked on a felony arrest warrant for lewd acts with a child under 14 years of age, Beaumont Police said. The incident occurred in 2018. Beaumont Police responded to an area hospital to investigate a sexual assault claim. The girl was taken by her parents to the emergency room to report the abuse.
The alleged abuse occurred in a family member’s residence in Beaumont, Beaumont Police said. “His arrest and this investigation does not involve any allegations related to his employment with the El Monte Union High School District,” Beaumont Police said. Lazo was arrested by El Monte Police at 8:15 a.m. March 19 and was held in lieu of $55,000 bail, Los Angeles County booking records show.  PHOTO/Google Maps. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Police said a 19-year-old El Monte resident was carrying a cellphone and wore headphones as he walked through an activated railroad crossing and was struck by a westbound train February 7. Mauricio Kevin Moreno died at the scene of the collision in the 3200 block of North Cogswell Road just after 10 a.m.
Los Angeles-Bound train 319 collided with the pedestrian. The tracks between Baldwin Park and El Monte are closed, according to a statement issued by Metrolink. The train and its passengers were finally able to continue to Los Angeles two hours and 10 minutes behind schedule. |
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