Juan Carlos Hernndez went to work one afternoon and never came home. 2 charged in killing of SoCal marijuana dispensary worker. Hernandezwent missing after finishing work at a marijuana dispensary on September 22, Shortly after Hernandez was reported missing, someone tried to extort his family in exchange for his safe return, but police said it was a hoax. FBI agents alerted them that two weeks earlier, Peng and Heng had purchased same-day tickets to Istanbul, Turkey, by way of Paris and boarded their flight carrying $9,500 in cash. Published: 21:42 BST, 24 November 2020 | Updated: 21:56 BST, 24 November 2020. Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, of San Gabriel faces one count of murder while Sonita Heng, 20, of Harbor City was charged with a count of accessory after the fact, according to a Los Angeles. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, is currently facing one count of murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced in a press release on Monday. They are scheduled to be arraigned Monday. Detectives arrested two people Thursday in connection with Hernndez's death, Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, according to the LAPD. Among hundreds of cases being heard on Feb. 28 is the preliminary hearing of Ethan Kedar Astaphan who is accused of killing 21-year-old ECC engineering student Juan Hernandez. 50S MIDDAY AND THEN 60S THIS AFTERNOON. He was always very attentive, careful always supporting me in whatever I needed, she said. Peng's then-girlfriend Sonita Heng, was charged as an accomplice and has negotiated a plea deal in exchange for her testimony against Astaphan and Peng. The weeks slid by. Both were ordered to return to court Dec. 1 . Astaphan faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. Heng faces three years in prison. Astaphan's defendant, 20-year-old Sonita Heng, has been charged with one count of accessory after the fact, officials said. Pengs then girlfriend, 22-year-old Sonita Heng, is accused of being an accomplice. Ethan Astaphan, 27, of San Gabriel was charged Monday with murder and Sonita Heng, 20, of Los Angeles was charged with being an accessory after the fact, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said in a statement. THIS IS KCRA 3 NEWS AT 4:00. Hernandez attended El Camino College in Torrance and was set to transfer to the University of Southern California and study engineering, according to the Los Angeles Times. Hernndezs mother knew in her gut something wasnt right when her son didnt return from his job at a marijuana dispensary. A few minutes after 11 p.m., Astaphan suddenly took Hernndez to the ground, put him in a chokehold and held him down until his body went still, according to the affidavit. Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, What was behind the protest against an archaeologist at last weeks L.A. Times Book Festival, Column: If not cops or guns, what will it take to make us feel safe? She still sees the fliers when she drives through Los Angeles. Any hopes, any dreams I had, theyre gone, she says. In a pre-trial hearing in the case of the People of California vs. Ethan Kedar Astaphan on Tuesday, May 3, at Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, Astaphan, 28, of San Gabriel, waived his rights to a speedy trial and agreed to return to court on July 6 for another pre-trial hearing. The video, which is described in an affidavit an LAPD detective submitted to a judge to obtain a search warrant, showed Astaphan, Peng and Hernndez in the dispensary the night of Sept. 22. or debate this issue live on our message boards. Peng's then girlfriend, 22-year-old Sonita Heng, is accused of being an accomplice. First published on November 19, 2020 / 8:04 PM. If found guilty, he may serve the possible maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison. The hearings will be pushed back to Sept. 21, 2021, at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Justice Center in Los Angeles, according to the criminal case calendar on the LA Court website. Pair charged in killing of marijuana dispensary worker, 21, found in Heng, 22, has accepted a plea deal for her role in the murder of Hernandez son. or debate this issue live on our message boards. WINTERS POLICE SAY THE TEENAGER WAS OUTSIDE A POLICE DEPARTMENT ARMED WITH A KNIFE. Missing community college student found in shallow grave near Barstow HE PULLED OUT A GUN, THROUGH IT INTO THE BUSHES AND RAN. Two people have been arrested and charged in connection to the killing of Juan Carlos Hernandez in Los Angeles. It was heartbreaking to come home every time shattered, empty-handed, without my son, she said. TEO: GOOD MORNING. It couldn't be determined Thursday evening if they had lawyers who could speak on their behalf. The remains were hidden in a shallow grave in the Mojave Desert. She tries to smile, to laugh when she is around her other children, but I feel no form of happiness.. Ethan H. Shagan - Wikipedia The hearings of two suspects accused of murdering an El Camino College student were postponed until Sept. 21 for unknown reasons. They were being held on $10 million bail each. As she did every morning before leaving for work, Yajaira Hernndez peeked into her sons bedroom around 5:30 on Sept. 23. But, Regulators seize First Republic in 3rd bank failure, 2 arrested after missing South L.A. 21-year-olds, He couldnt just have disappeared: South L.A. mom, 2 dead, 2 injured after single-car crash in Oxnard, Hiker finds skeletal remains in San Bernardino County, More rain, mountain snow moves into for SoCal, Man arrested in fatal hit-and-run in Irwindale, Family honors Gabriel Isiguzo on death anniversary, Texas baseball player hit by gunfire during game, 9 injured, 2 critically after crash in San Bernardino, Warriors vs. Lakers playoffs: Start times, TV schedule, 700 dogs saved from puppy mill; 53 can be adopted, I.E. Her sons 22nd birthday came and went. 'This isnt the outcome we ever wanted or thought wed get, but I still feel blessed that we found his body,'Yajaira Hernandes said. Two days later, cops found his 2020 Honda Civic abandoned about two miles from his job at a marijuana dispensary, the Los Angeles Times reported. Every time she called, the detectives told her, Were looking into it. She understands now they couldnt tell her about their investigation, but at the time she believed they didnt share her urgency the urgency of a mother whose child is gone. It wasn't clear if they had attorneys to speak for them. Hernandez had last texted his mom to say hed be home from work that night but he never returned. Wearing T-shirts printed with her sons face, they taped fliers to the metal barricades on the steps of City Hall and marched carrying signs. Habib Balian, who is prosecuting the case. SAC, Top 5 Things to try at Caf Camino and El Cappuccino, El Camino to hold emergency evacuation drill, Turnout shy in student government election, Meta-Majors Center aims to connect majors, services, clubs, El Caminos Eid al-Fitr prayer leaves feelings of unity and disappointment, Warriors beach volleyball team scores back-to-back wins to finish regular season, Student Health Services offer weekly mental health workshops, The student news site of El Camino College, Trial of Ethan Astaphan has possible start date Sept. 6. Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, is currently facing one count of murder, . . In a preliminary hearing was held over three days from Monday, Feb. 28 to Wednesday, March 2, 2022 before Judge Michael E. Pastor in Department 41. PARTLY CLOUDY AND MAINLY CLEAR SKIES THIS MORNING. The San Bernardino County Coroner's Office responded to the scene and confirmed the remains were of Hernandez. PDF Two charged in killing of man whose body was found in Mojave desert Carnage outside the nightclubs of Britain with Bank holiday treat! Peng was apprehended last week in Istanbul and is being held pending extradition to Los Angeles on a murder charge. Preliminary hearing of defendant in Hernandez case tells more about The last call he had received was at 10:25 p.m. on the night he disappeared, from the same number E had used to call his mother. 2 charged in killing of LA marijuana dispensary worker Juan Cookie Carlos Hernandez was reported missing after being last seen on Sept. 22 in the 8100 block of South Western Avenue, and his vehicle was found two days later in the 6400 block of South Figueroa Street, nearly three miles away, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division detectives, with assistance from a SWAT team, served search warrants last Thursday at the homes of Astaphan and Heng, identifying them at the time as ``persons of interest'' and arresting them later that day. The trial of the accused in the killing of El Camino College student Juan Carlos Hernandez is expected to commence on Sept. 6. Technicians at the LAPDs lab went to work on the cameras and realized someone had tampered with them. Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, were arrested in Hernndez's murder following searches of their residences. He doesnt have to tell his mother where hes going. The caller identified himself as E, the owner of the dispensary. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, L.A. Affairs: I had my reasons for not dating white men. Im sorry if Im overwhelming anyone with my videos, posts or anything, she wrote on Instagram. Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen, 17-Year-Old Charged with Murder in Deaths of N.C. Schoolmate Devin Clark and Lyric Woods, How a Calif. Man with a Seemingly Perfect Life Killed His Wife, Then Went on the Lam After Posting Bail, Truck Driver Charged in Cold Case Murder of Calif. Woman Found Dead on Desert Highway Ramp in 1993, Kristin Smart Case: Paul Flores Found Guilty in 1996 Death and Disappearance of the Cal Poly Freshman, Conn. Man Accused of Murdering N.Y. Nurse on Tinder Date, Using Her Credit Card to Buy Plane Ticket, Woman Allegedly Helped Boyfriend Cover Up 2016 Murder of His Wife When She Was a Teen, Now She's Been Arrested, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Hernndezs family began picketing outside LAPD headquarters and City Hall to let them see that were not giving up, that were not going anywhere, she said. On Nov. 19, Jaramillo and Hammer knocked on Yajaira Hernndezs door. When Hernndez reported the calls to the police, her sons case was handed to Jennifer Hammer and Daniel Jaramillo, detectives in the LAPDs Robbery-Homicide Division who specialize in kidnappings, extortions and other complex crimes. Her car had been sitting empty, engine running, for hours. in South Central Los Angeles. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 2 charged in killing of missing California marijuana dispensary worker VIP Collective LA was one of three pot shops on the same block of Western Avenue between 81st and 82nd streets. On November 15, LAPD detectives, sheriff's deputies and FBI agents found Hernandez's body buried in a remote area off Afton Canyon Road near Interstate 15 between Barstow and Baker. Arraignment is scheduled today in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. On Tuesday, May 3, Hernandez went to Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse for a hearing in the case of The People of Calif. vs. Sonita Heng. Sonita Heng, 20, of Harbor City, who is charged with being an accessory after the fact, also entered a not guilty plea. Co-defendant Sonita Heng (dob 5/10/00) of Harbor City faces one count of accessory after the fact. But I still feel blessed that we found his body.. Assistant Head Deputy Habib Balian of the Major Crimes Division said Ethan Kedar Astaphan (dob 6/1/93) faces one count of murder in case BA491591. Arrests made in murder of missing college student found in grave During the warrants, Astaphan and Heng were arrested for suspicion of murder, police said. c. 738. On Thursday, police arrested 27-year-old Ethan Astaphan and 20-year-old Sonita Heng on suspicion of murder in connection with Hernandez's death. A judge gave the detectives permission to install a tracking device on Astaphans rented Ford truck in the middle of the night, and in early October, officers from the LAPDs secretive Special Investigation Section began tailing him. The circumstances of his capture were unclear, said Deputy Dist. A man and a woman have been charged with the killing of a 21-year-old Los Angeles marijuana dispensary worker whose body was found in a shallow grave in the Mojave Desert nearly two months after his disappearance. Heng, of Harbor City, faces one count of accessory after the fact and can face up to three years in prison. Astaphan and Heng had been arrested that morning. Both were booked on suspicion of murder. Inmate records showed both Astaphan and . The lots gate was sliding open. Peng fled to Turkey where he has been detained and is fighting extradition. Unseen family photos of Charles with Prince George and Princess Charlotte are Saboteurs derail Russian freight train with explosives 37 miles from Ukraine and destroy power cables in 'I've been stuck in A&E since 10.30pm last night please just pay NHS staff fairly': Tearful A&E patient Ballet princess! The Los Angeles Police Departments Robbery-Homicide Division worked with the FBI to investigate Hernandezs disappearance, and their efforts provided detectives with a sequence of events to find Hernandez, police said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Sonita Heng, 20, who is charged with being an accessory after the fact, also entered a not guilty plea. I AM TEO TORRES. The cause of death was not released, but police said he "appeared to be the victim of a homicide.". Heng has pleaded no contest to accessory after the fact. She blanketed Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Reddit with her sons story, signing off each post with the hashtag #helpmefindjuan. WE WILL TRACK THAT COMING UP. Trial in murder of El Camino student postponed until 2023 2 arrested for alleged murder of college student found dead in shallow @britishvogue @buzzfeed & ! The vehicle drove off down an alley. Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, are in custody on suspicion of murdering a community college student who went missing in L.A. and was found dead in a shallow desert grave. Meanwhile, Heng faces a three-year prison sentence. Brothers. Collective marijuana dispensary at 8113 South Western Avenue. Her attorney declined to answer questions. Astaphan faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted of murder. Samthann / svhn /, [1] modernised spelling Samhthann or Samthana, is an Irish folk saint, purportedly a Christian nun and abbess in Early Christian Ireland. Ethan Astaphan, 27, of San Gabriel was charged Monday with murder and Sonita Heng, 20, of Los Angeles was charged with being an accessory after the fact, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said in a statement. When Hernndez asked about her son, the stores employees werent helpful. DEIRDRE: LET US HEAD TO EILEEN JAVORA. [2] She is one of only four female Irish saints for whom Latin Lives exist. Another caller said he might have been at 4th and San Pedro. Interactive map shows how average age of nation varies by region as Mobsters burned alive, public stonings, gang-rape, ransom demands and political assassinations: How violence Mystery of Gina Lollobrigida's missing 9 million: Battle for Italian sex symbol's fortune takes a new twist 2 charged after body of missing college student from South L.A. found buried in Mojave Desert, Missing community college student found in shallow grave near Barstow - Los Angeles Times. And hard as it was, she reminded herself that he was capable of making his own decisions. Two persons of interest in the case Ethan Astaphan, 27, and 20-year-old Sonita Heng were identified as homicide suspects, according to LAPD. Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, was expected to be arraigned sometime Monday in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom in the killing of Juan "Cookie" Carlos Hernandez. She now knows where he is. Personnel from the LAPD, the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department and the FBI began combing that part of the Mojave Desert. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Please reload the page and try again. Heng faces three years in prison. People soon called and texted, claiming they had kidnapped her son and demanding a ransom for his return. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. And she led him to his death. Didier described Peng as a bad egg.. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Your Privacy Choices/(Opt-Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). At the preliminary hearing, Hernandez coworker, Daniel Romero, gave testimony regarding photos recovered from the dispensarys surveillance camera. Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, of San Gabriel faces one count of murder while Sonita Heng, 20, of Harbor City was charged with a count of accessory after the fact, according to a Los Angeles County District Attorneys news release. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, A subsequent investigation by the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division determined that the persons who tried to extort the missing man's family had no connection to his disappearance. Your email address will not be published. The Bank Holiday excitement is a bit too much for some! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. The car he was driving,a 2020 Honda Civic belonging to his mother, was found abandoned a couple of miles from his work two days later. The locations of the homes were not immediately available. Following the disappearance, the family. Balian declined to discuss a potential motive for the killing. A GoFundMe started to help the family with expenses has raised $26,418 of its $30,000 goal as of Tuesday. EDITORS NOTE: Title was fixed for clarity Sept. 13. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Kate takes Charlotte to watch Cinderella at the Royal Opera House ahead of her 8th Fury at vegan school dinners: Farmers vow to resist council moves to go plant-based by scrapping all meat 'A waste of licence payers' money!' . Rallies Planned to Mark May Day in Downtown, Little Tokyo, Boyle Heights, Vehicle Hits Pole in Mid-Wilshire Area; Man Killed, One Person Killed in Fiery Hacienda Heights Crash, JPMorgan Chase Bank Agrees to Purchase First Republic Bank, Police Arrest 24 During DUI Checkpoint in Riverside, Coroner IDs Man Who Jumped or Fell From Freeway Overpass. It wasnt like her son, a 21-year-old student at El Camino College who hoped to transfer to USC to study engineering, to stay out all night and not tell her. They were being held on $10million bail each. Required fields are marked *. The cause of death was not released, but police said he appeared to be the victim of a homicide.. And some of the cases began with a missing persons report but ended with a murder charge. 2 charged in killing of SoCal marijuana dispensary worker - KCRA Two suspects have been arrested in the murder of a missing college student who was found in a shallow grave near a highway in California, authorities said Friday. This is him. Ethan Astaphan, 27, of San Gabriel pleaded not guilty Monday after being charged with murder and Sonita Heng, 20, of Los Angeles pleaded not guilty to being an accessory after the fact.. His mother had put up thousands of fliers in hopes of finding her son and subsequently fielded multiple calls for ransom, The Times reported. Yajaira Hernandez holds her cellphone with a photo of a cross placed where her son Juan Carlos Hernandez was found dead along Afton Road in the Mojave Desert. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) The body of a missing Jefferson Park man has been found, the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday. He was last seen leaving his job at a marijuana dispensary in South Los Angeles earlier that night and had sent his mother a text saying he'd be home soon, according to the Los Angeles Times. He never returned home. Ethan Astaphan, 27, of San Gabriel,and Sonita Heng, 20, of Los Angeles, were arrested by LAPD detectives and SWAT officers last Thursday in connection to the death ofJuan Carlos Hernandez. Astaphan, of San Gabriel, faces one count of murder. A mother's search for missing son leads to dark world of a marijuana Both were ordered to return to court Dec. 1, when a date is expected to be set for a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. The following suspects were arrested for 187 PC/Murder and booked at LAPD Jail: Ethan Astaphan, 27 years and Sonita Heng, 20 years" ADVERTISEMENT Hernandez was a student of El Camino College in California was last seen leaving his job at a marijuana dispensary in South Los Angeles on the night of September 22 and had sent his mother a text . Police said that within a week of Hernandez's disappearance in September, a person tried to extort money from his family in exchange for his safe return, but detectives determined the attempted extortion was not related to his disappearance. When she wasnt working, she spent countless hours taping up fliers across Los Angeles, and in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties as well. After the iPad, this is the next best tablet. One read, I want you to act like Juan was your son.. He thought someone was robbing the dispensary and perhaps stealing its safe, but he didnt hear the sound of metal scraping against asphalt. His car was found two days later in the 6400 block of South Figueroa Street, nearly three miles away. Knowing her son is not lost, hungry or in pain has brought Hernndez some solace. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's search and rescue team found Hernandez's remains Nov. 15 in a shallow grave along Afton Canyon Road, east of Interstate 15, north of Barstow. A joint effort by the LAPDs Robbery-Homicide Division, the San Bernardinos Sheriffs Search and Rescue Team, the San Bernardinos Sheriffs Homicide, and the FBI led to the discovery of Hernndezs remains on Nov. 15, 2020. When she wants to be near him, she goes to Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. (Kim McGill | The Union). Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? El Caminos student poets slam their way to cash prizes, Memorial and reception for longtime El Camino coach to be open to the public, Warriors baseball walk off in the bottom of 10th against Mt. Juan Hernandez, 21, was reporting missing by his family Sept. 22 after not returning home from work. A few minutes after 10pm, Hernandez sent his mother a text message saying he would be home soon, but he never made it back, reported Los Angeles Times. On Thursday, police arrested 27-year-old Ethan Astaphan and 20-year-old Sonita Heng on suspicion of murder in connection with Hernandez's death. DEIRDRE: I AM DEIRDRE FITZPATRICK. If convicted, Astaphan faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison, while Heng could face up to three years in prison, according to prosecutors. . Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, were booked into jail on suspicion of murder and were being held on $10 million bail each, according to inmate records. Four days later, investigators arrested Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, on suspicion of Hernndez's murder, according to the release. THE BREEZE WILL PICK UP TODAY BUT YOU WILL SEE TEMPERATURES PRETTY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY. And he knew she needed her car to get to work. This story has been shared 100,454 times. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? Yajaira Hernandezs 21-year-old son, Juan Carlos Hernandez, went to work one afternoon in September 2020 and never came home. The search would take her to homeless encampments on skid row, to the steps of City Hall in protest, to remote corners of Southern California and to the dark underbelly of the citys marijuana industry. At the time of his disappearance, Hernandez, known to his loved ones as 'Cookie,' was preparing to transfer to the University of Southern California to pursue an engineering degree. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We've received your submission. 'Grandpa King is adorable!' Following the disappearance, the family started a GoFundMe page to help cover expenses as family and friends took unpaid leave to assist in the search. Sonita Heng, 22, identified the third man in the photo as Weijia Peng, her boyfriend and owner of the V.I.P. LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division detectives, with assistance from a SWAT team, served search warrants Thursday at the homes of Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, who were persons of interest, according to police. Missing Calif. College Student Is Found Dead in Shallow Grave - People Authorities haven't released a possible motive or other details about the killing. I wish I had the knowledge, power or money to do more.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, She was his best friend. AT SOME POINT A SHOT WAS FIRED FROM DEPUTIES. Astaphan, a citizen of the island of Dominica in the Caribbean, met Peng while living in the New York City area, according to his mother, Connie Didier.
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