Authorities on Tuesday sought public help to find three young men suspected of involvement in a fire sparked by a Molotov cocktail that killed three people at a South El Monte tire shop.
A fourth suspect, 19-year-old Roberto Fuentes of Baldwin Park, is already in custody and facing three capital murder charges filed on April 28.
Fuentes allegedly tossed the Molotov cocktail into the tire shop. He was arrested a day after the April 25 fire at 1252 N. Santa Anita Ave. that killed Carlos Jimenez, 18, of El Monte, Destiny Aguirre, 18, of Azusa, and Rodrigo Gonzalez, 17, of La Puente.
Images and video surveillance footage of the three at-large suspects were released at a late-morning news conference at sheriff’s headquarters in Monterey Park. The wanted men were identified as German Monrreal, 19, Mario Godina 19, and Estavan Castillo, 20.
Firefighters dispatched to the business at 5:27 a.m. on April 25 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 suffered while trying to rescue the man and battle the blaze.
Friends said Jimenez had celebrated his birthday with a party at the tire shop.
Sheriff’s Lt. Victor Lewandowski said Fuentes was at the tire shop at some point before the attack, but it was unclear if he had attended the birthday party.
Detectives used video surveillance footage to identify the suspect vehicle, which led them to Fuentes, said Deputy Amber Smith of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the suspects still being sought was urged to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, (323) 890-5500; or Crime Stoppers, (800) 222-TIPS.
—City News Service