Three charged with murder in botched robbery on Angeles Crest Highway in Pasadena

Noah Goldberg
·2 min read
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LA CANADA-FLINTRIDGE, CA - MARCH 30 : In an aerial view, landslides along the Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2) continue to grow as the latest in a parade of storms that have created disasters across the state all year breaks up on March 30, 2023 near La Cañada-Flintridge, California. In striking contrast to the previous years of severe to extreme drought, more than a dozen atmospheric river storm events have steadily swept in from the Pacific Ocean bringing extreme weather, including huge surf, unprecedented rainfalls, widespread flooding and record mountain snowpack depths that have covered two story houses and kept many people snowbound without fresh supplies for weeks. The heavy rain and snowmelt have refilled most major reservoirs, which had nearly dried up in recent years, giving at least temporary relief from the worst drought in 1,200 years. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
An aerial view along the Angeles Crest Highway taken on March 30. (David McNew / Getty Images)

Three men have been charged with murder and robbery in the July killing of a man on Angeles Crest Highway in Pasadena, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office announced.

Luis Ventura, 24; Marco Antonio Hernandez, 18; and Abraham Ernesto Alvarenga Cortez, 21, were all charged with two counts of robbery and a single count of murder in the July 22 shooting of Jessie Enrique Munoz, who was in his car on the side of the highway, the district attorney said. The men have also been linked to a double homicide in Rancho Palos Verdes two days later, though they have not been charged in that case.

Six people were arrested in late July in connection with the killing of Munoz, 32, but only Ventura, Antonio Hernandez and Alvarenga Cortez have been charged with murder.

The men allegedly shot Munoz numerous times, causing him to bleed out and die at the scene, according to authorities. A woman in the car with him was robbed but not injured.

Read more: Police say robbery crew targeted, shot vulnerable people at scenic overlooks in RPV, Pasadena

Alvarenga Cortez was alleged to be the triggerman in the killing, with prosecutors saying he used a handgun.

It was not clear what role the other two men played.

"The heinous actions that led to the robbery and murder of Mr. Jessie Enrique Munoz is an appalling and reprehensible display of disregard for human life,” Dist. Atty. George Gascón said. “Our hearts go out to Mr. Munoz’s family and friends who are coping with the pain of this senseless act, including his female companion who also was a victim of robbery at the time of this crime."

In the Rancho Palos Verdes killing, a couple sitting at a scenic overlook by the Pacific Ocean were gunned down in another robbery gone wrong, authorities said. The victims in that case were Jorge Ramos, 36, and Taylorraven Whittaker, 26.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.