Three men are accused of killing and robbing a driver who was parked at a picturesque overlook along the Angeles Crest Highway in late July, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Angeles Crest Highway (Photo: van life wanderer)
Angeles Crest Highway Incident: Three Accused Men Charged With Two Counts Of Robbery And One Crime Of Murder
For the July 22 heist gone wrong that resulted in the death of Jessie Munoz, 32, the males, Luis Ventura, 24, Marco Antonio Hernandez, 18, and Abraham Ernesto Alvarenga Cortez, 21, were each charged with two counts of robbery and one crime of murder. Bail for each defendant has been requested by prosecutors at $2.1 million.
District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement that the terrible activities that resulted in the robbery and murder of Mr. Jessie Enrique Munoz were “an appalling and reprehensible display of disregard for human life.” “Our thoughts go out to Mr. Munoz’s family and friends, especially his female companion who was also a robbery victim at the time of this murder, as they deal with the agony of this senseless act. We shall put in the utmost effort to hold these three people responsible for their deeds.
Prosecutors claim that Alvarenga Cortez personally used a handgun during the robbery-murder.
Three Accused Men Was Arrested In Angeles Crest Highway By The Pasadena Police Department
Ventura, Wendy Sarai Cerritos, 21, Rossel Jose Hernandez, 20, and three other people were first detained by the Pasadena Police Department for their alleged involvement in the attack more than a month ago on Angeles Crest Highway. Two days later, three unidentified suspects were freed, and at that time, prosecutors simply brought robbery charges—not murder—instead of murder charges.
The next court appearance for Rossel Hernandez, Ventura, and Cerritos is not until October 6.
Allegedly all of the accused are members of a street gang that preyed on motorists who were parked at scenic overlooks across Los Angeles County. In the days before they attacked and killed Munoz, 32, the gang robbed at least four additional people who were camped along the Angeles Crest Highway.
Two days after Munoz’s murder, police believe the same gang responsible for the Pasadena assassination committed a second robbery-turned-homicide in a parking lot near a beach in Rancho Palos Verdes. In a parking area with a view of Pelican Cove, three men approached Jorge Ramos, 36, and Taylor Raven Whittaker, 26. When the men opened fire on their Subaru, Ramos and Whittaker were both killed.
Investigators previously stated that the getaway driver in that crime was a fourth suspect, who they believed to be a woman.
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