By Terry Miller
On the morning of Saturday, April 25, Sheriff’s Homicide detectives, members of the Arson/Explosives detail and deputies from the Temple Sheriff’s Station responded to an arson fire which occurred at the Cheque Tires auto business at 1252 Santa Anita Ave. in the city of South El Monte. Three people were killed in the early morning fire as a result of what they believe was a Molotov cocktail.
Destiny Aguirre, 18, Rodrigo Gonzalez, 17, and Christopher Jimenez, 17, died as a result of the arson-caused fire.
As a result of the numerous detectives who assisted in the investigation, investigators quickly identified the suspects responsible for this crime and located them in Mexico.
The initial suspect, Ricardo Fuentes, was taken into custody the day after the firebombing and is being held with no bail for multiple counts of murder.
Sheriff’s Homicide investigators Monday announced the arrests of the remaining three suspects in this case. Detectives developed information that the suspects were hiding out in Mexico.
The reward money offered played a big role in locating the suspects, although LASD would not disclose how they gained specific suspect location information. Through the coordinated efforts of agents from the United States Marshal’s Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force and members of the Mexican State Police – Jalisco, the three suspects were taken into custody in Mexico without incident.
Suspects German Monreal (Bkg 4397480), Mario Godina (Bkg 4397479) and Estavan Castillo (Bkg 4397478) were arrested on Saturday, July 25. They were flown to Los Angeles and taken into custody by homicide detectives on Sunday, July 26. The three were booked at the South Los Angeles Station on three counts each of murder and one count each of arson. They are being held without bail.
