[symple_googlemap title=”” location=”1252 N. Santa Anita Ave” height=”300″ zoom=”13″]
A Baldwin Park man who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail into a South El Monte tire shop early Saturday morning, resulting in a deadly blaze, was charged Tuesday with three counts of capital murder.
Roberto Fuentes, 19, was ordered to be held without bail while awaiting arraignment May 13 at the El Monte courthouse in connection with the deaths of Rodrigo Gonzalez and Christopher Jimenez, who were both about to turn 18; and Destiny Monique Aguirre, 18, according to Deputy District Attorney Sean Carney.
The murder counts include the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders. Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek the death penalty against Fuentes, who was arrested Sunday night.
Fuentes is also charged with one felony count each of arson causing great bodily injury and use of a destructive device and explosive to injure.
Fuentes allegedly tossed a Molotov cocktail into the tire shop at 1252 N. Santa Anita Ave. Firefighters dispatched to the business at 5:27 a.m. Saturday found a terrified and burned man trying to escape from the locked shop.
The fire was put out in about an hour, but the man could not be saved. The other two victims’ bodies were subsequently found inside the business.
A firefighter was treated at a hospital for second-degree burns sustained while trying to rescue the man and battle the blaze, a Los Angeles County Fire Department dispatcher said.
Friends told the Los Angeles Times that Jimenez had celebrated his birthday with a party at the tire shop.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Victor Lewandowski told the newspaper that Fuentes was at the tire shop at some point before the attack, but it was unclear if he had attended the birthday party.
Video surveillance footage led sheriff’s homicide detectives to identify the suspect vehicle, which led them to Fuentes, according to Deputy Amber Smith of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
— City News Service