A 31-year-old felon has been charged with murder in the shooting death of an Inglewood man who apparently interrupted the attempted theft of a catalytic converter from a parked car.
Jose Cristian Saravia Sanchez is scheduled to be arraigned March 24 in an Inglewood courtroom, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Saravia Sanchez is charged with one count each of murder and shooting from a motor vehicle and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon — the latter of which allege that he was convicted in 2023 of five counts, including grand theft auto. The charges also include allegations that he personally and intentionally discharged a handgun that caused death to the victim and that the crime was committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang.
Relatives identified the victim as Juan “Johnny” Sanchez, a husband and father of two who had recently become a grandfather and was shot to death while heading to work at an environmental services company.
A second defendant, Wilver Alberto Rabanales, 40, is charged with one count of shooting from a motor vehicle, along with a gang allegation, according to the complaint. Rabanales is due back in court March 24, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial.
The shooting occurred at 3:22 a.m Feb. 25 in the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue, near East 65th Street, about a block north of Vincent Park, according to the Inglewood Police Department.
The victim was shot in the chest and died later from his injuries, police said.
Video footage obtained from the scene shows a vehicle driving away south on North Chester Avenue, then east on 65th Street.
Saravia Sanchez and Rabanales were arrested last week after police served a search warrant at a motel in the city of Cudahy, according to a police department press release. Jail records show the two men have remained behind bars since then.
“Johnny’s greatest joy in life was his family,” according to a GoFundMe page established to assist the victim’s family. “He leaves behind his beloved wife, two wonderful children and his precious grandchild, who he adored with all his heart. He was the kind of person who always put others before himself, offering a helping hand, a listening ear, or a smile that could brighten even the darkest days. His strength, wisdom and generosity were the foundation of his family, and his loss leaves a void that can never be filled.”