Andrea Vazquez missing latest: LA County fire captain’s son Gabriel Esparza pleads not guilty to teen’s murder

Police arrested Gabriel Esparza in reference to Andrea Vazquez’s demise.

“This was a very random act of violence, there may be nothing to recommend that there was any type of affiliation.” Whittier Police Division public data officer Thomas Mattson informed Fox 11.

“The suspect simply randomly picked somebody who was hanging out on the park and dedicated this heinous act.”

Gabriel Sean Esparza, the 20-year-old son of a Los Angeles County fire captain, has been charged with a number of felonies together with murder, kidnapping and tried rape of 19-year-old Andrea Vazquez.

Mr Esparza entered a not-guilty plea when he made his first courtroom look for the brutal slaying on Wednesday afternoon.

Prosecutors have formally filed seven costs in opposition to the suspect, in accordance to a legal grievance submitted in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom.

These additionally embrace tried murder, kidnapping to commit one other crime, assault with intent to commit a felony, and two counts of tried forcible rape.

A California lady who was reportedly shot and kidnapped from her boyfriend’s automotive in a park close to Los Angeles has been discovered lifeless, police have confirmed.

The physique of Andrea Vazquez, 19, was found in an open discipline in Moreno Valley, not removed from the place her household say her telephone final pinged they usually discovered traces of blood.

The Unbiased’s Graeme Massie experiences:

The horror unfolded simply after midnight on Sunday 20 August when Vazquez and her boyfriend have been sitting in a automotive at Penn Park in Whittier, police stated.

Her boyfriend informed police that an armed suspect then approached their car and “fired a weapon of their course,” police stated.

Vazquez’s boyfriend fled the scene and when he returned he found blood close to his automotive and his girlfriend missing.

Vazquez has been kidnapped from the scene.

Officers have been alerted to a taking pictures and kidnapping incident positioned on the “parking stalls space” at 13950 Penn Road in Whittier.

Vasquez’s sister, Edlyn, with whom she lives in Los Angeles, put out a plea on Fb for the general public’s assist in discovering her.

“My sister was shot and kidnapped at Penn Park,” she wrote.

“Her final location exhibits Moreno Valley. We don’t know her situation. Please I’m begging, if anybody has data, or the center to share this, please please contact me and repost.”

Vazquez’s physique was discovered by police on Monday night time. Her household was knowledgeable the next day.

Following Andrea Vazquez’s horror kidnapping, an enormous search was launched to strive to discover the missing 19-year-old.

That search led to tragedy on Monday 21 August when, at round 11.50pm native time, authorities combing the world of Moreno Valley made a grotesque discovery.

Police stated that the teen’s physique had been present in a vegetation discipline off Alessandro Boulevard and Merwin Road in Moreno Valley.

The investigation stays ongoing however police stated that it seems that the assault on Vazquez and her boyfriend was “randomly focused”.

On Tuesday 22 August, police introduced an replace on the case as a suspect was taken into custody.

Detectives from the Whittier Police Division and the LADA Group Violence Discount Workforce arrested Gabriel Esparza, a 20-year-old man and Whittier resident, in reference to the kidnapping and taking pictures of Vazquez.

Mr Esparza was taken into custody at his office within the metropolis of Lakewood and booked into the Whittier Police Division jail on costs of murder and kidnapping.

He’s being held with out bail.

Throughout his arrest, officers recovered a weapon and Esparza’s White Toyota Tacoma truck – that are believed to have been used on the time of the taking pictures.

“This relentless investigation and yesterday’s arrest have been made potential by the dedication and dedication of our investigations division, with the help of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Division, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division, Downey Police Division, La Habra Police Division and the LADA Investigations Bureau Group Violence Discount Workforce,” police stated in a press release.

A GoFundMe for the household of Andrea Vazquez has raised over $20,000 in reminiscence of the 19-year-old who was the sufferer of a random violent act.

“I’m asking all our family and friends to assist my household with the tragic lack of our lovely Andrea,” the GoFundMe creator, Diana Ortiz, wrote within the description.

As of Thursday night, the fundraiser had raised $36,000.

“We respect all of the love, prayer, and help throughout this time. Thanks from the underside of our hearts!”

Vazquez’s sister Edlyn Vazquez posted a tribute for the slain teen on Thursday.

“My candy angel … I’m fully destroyed. Phrases can’t describe this ache,” Ms Vaquez wrote on Facebook. “I really like you with all my coronary heart and my soul … Till we meet once more lovely child.”

Ms Vazquez had led public pleas for her sister’s secure return after she was kidnapped and shot over the weekend.

Vazquez’s stays have been discovered by the Whitter Police Division in Moreno Valley on Monday night time.

“Our hearts ache for the devastating lack of a younger life. The heinous nature of this crime, involving the murder, kidnapping and tried rape of an harmless younger lady, shocks our neighborhood to its core,” District Legal professional George Gascón stated in a statement.

“My workplace will work tirelessly to maintain Gabriel Esparza accountable for his callous actions in opposition to Ms. Vasquez and her associate. In these moments of profound sorrow, I ship my deepest condolences to Ms. Vasquez’s household as they address this painful tragedy.”