5 will face trial for scenic overlook killings in Pasadena, Rancho Palos Verdes

An alleged gang member told a Los Angeles County sheriff’s detective he fired at two people seated in a car at an overlook in Rancho Palos Verdes because he saw one of them make a move toward him and was angry because they were “looking at him oddly,” the detective testified in a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday, Sept. 24.

Marco Antonio Hernandez, one of five defendants facing murder, robbery and attempted robbery counts for a pair of fatal shootings at scenic overlooks in 2023, also told a Pasadena police detective he was the driver in another fatal shooting two days prior along Angeles Crest Highway, Pasadena detective Jorge Salazar testified.

Of the five defendants, Hernandez is the only one who faces charges related to both shootings – three counts of murder, two counts of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery – which occurred in Pasadena on July 22, 2023 and Rancho Palos Verdes on July 24, 2023.

Luis Ventura and Abraham Ernesto Alvarenga Cortez each face murder and two counts of robbery in relation to the Pasadena killing, which left 32-year-old Jessie Enrique Munoz dead. Rossel Hernandez-Ponce and Wendy Cerritos face two counts of murder and two counts of attempted robbery for the fatal Rancho Palos Verdes shootings of 36-year-old Jorge Ramos and 26-year-old TaylorRaven Whittaker.

On Tuesday, after a hearing that took more than a day and included testimony from the detectives and a surviving victim, Judge Ronald S. Coen ordered them to be held to answer on all charges.

In a preliminary hearing, prosecutors present at least some of the evidence they have against defendants and a judge rules whether there is probable cause to believe the defendants committed the crimes. If so, the judge rules the case can go to trial and be heard by a jury.

The detectives testified to statements made by Hernandez, Hernandez-Ponce and Cerritos during interviews, as well as jail cell conversations with informants by Hernandez and Ventura, admitting to their involvement in the early morning robberies and shootings.

Both Hernandez and Hernandez-Ponce admitted being members of MS-13. They also said they went to the scenic overlooks with the intent of robbing people of their phones and wallets, LASD Detective Leo Sanchez said. They would then split the profits among themselves and other members of the gang.

Sheila Santibanez testified Monday that Munoz, a friend, had picked her up and had driven them to a scenic lookout along Angeles Crest Highway to talk and catch up. She said they got there about 2:40 a.m. on July 22, 2023 and were there about 40 minutes listening to music with the car’s engine and headlights off when two men suddenly appeared at their doors, pointed guns and demanded their belongings.

Munoz gave one man his phone and wallet, while Santibanez gave the other her phone and backpack, she said. At least one other opened a back door and rummaged for other items.

One of the men then demanded the car, but Munoz refused and put the car in reverse to leave, Santibanez said. As the car started moving backwards, the man at the driver’s door fired four shots. The car hit the suspects’ car, which belonged to Hernandez’s girlfriend, Salazar testified. Munoz then put the car in drive and began driving down the mountain, but crashed into a guard rail a short distance away.

“As soon as he crashed, I looked over and I noticed he was bleeding from his mouth,” Santibanez said. “I got out and started yelling for help.”

She ended up flagging down a police vehicle two minutes later, she said.

Munoz suffered gunshot wounds to his left arm, his chin and his ribs, Salazar said.

The shooter was later identified by Hernandez in an Aug. 29, 2023 interview as Cortez, Detective Salazar testified. Hernandez also told the detective that it was Ventura’s idea that night to try to rob someone.

The same day, Hernandez told Sanchez in an interview he was in the back seat of Cerritos’ car on July 24, 2023 and they went to Rancho Palos Verdes because she was familiar with the area, Sanchez testified.

Hernandez told the detective Cerritos parked behind Ramos’ blue Subaru sedan in the parking lot of the overlook. Hernandez got out and walked to the passenger door, while Hernandez-Ponce went to the driver’s side, Sanchez testified. Both of them were armed.

Hernandez told the occupants in English to open the doors, but they did not. Hernandez-Ponce, in an Oct. 3, 2023 interview with detectives, said he told the driver to lower the window and give them their phones and wallets.

Hernandez then told Sanchez he tried opening the passenger door, but could not. The shooting happened shortly thereafter, with Hernandez firing first and Hernandez-Ponce firing because Hernandez shot first, Sanchez testified. Hernandez and Hernandez-Ponce ran back to Cerritos’ car and she sped off.

Both Ramos and Whittaker died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to Medical Examiner’s reports.

In their interviews, the defendants admitted they were driving to lookouts to rob individuals, Sanchez said. Cerritos admitted to being the getaway driver for the Rancho Palos Verdes shooting.

In his conversation with a jailhouse informant, Ventura told the informant Cortez shot and killed someone along Angeles Crest Highway, but said he wasn’t at the Rancho Palos Verdes shooting.

Salazar testified that he reached out to other agencies to ask about similar robberies and learned of two others in which the suspects stole wallets and credit cards. Salazar found that some of the credit cards were used at a Honduran restaurant and a Chevron gas station and obtained surveillance footage, later identifying Hernandez through facial recognition technology. At the Chevron gas station, detectives saw a vehicle and found it was registered to Cerritos, later identifying her as the driver through a comparison with her DMV photo.

Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and later stopped it as it was being driven by Hernandez-Ponce, who was identified as Cerritos’ boyfriend, as well as four other men, including Ventura. Inside, two 9-millimeter handguns were found, with one near Ventura and the other on the floorboard under the driver’s seat, Salazar said.

Santibanez’s backpack was later found at Ventura’s home.

Cortez, Hernandez, Hernandez-Ponce and Cerritos were ordered to be held in jail on no bail. Ventura was being held on more than $2 million bail.