CALIFORNIA – Prosecutors revealed on Wednesday that the suspected shooter involved in the death of a 19-year-old woman in Whittier, Calif. now faces an array of charges, including murder, kidnapping, and attempted rape.
Gabriel Esparza, 20, has been formally charged with six offenses related to the crime involving the killing of Andrea Vazquez. The charges encompass various crimes, such as murder, attempted murder, kidnapping with the intent to commit another offense, and assault with the intention of committing a felony.
The incident unfolded when Vazquez was abducted during a shooting at a local park over the weekend. She was later discovered deceased. Authorities have indicated that the attack appeared to be a random act.
The incident took place near the parking area of Penn Park in Whittier, occurring shortly past midnight on Sunday. According to her family, Vazquez and her boyfriend were present at the park when an armed individual approached their vehicle and initiated gunfire. In the ensuing chaos, Vazquez’s boyfriend managed to escape, but upon his return, he found that Andrea was gone.
Law enforcement apprehended Esparza, a resident of Whittier, at his workplace in Lakewood on Monday. Andrea’s body was located late Monday night in a vegetated area in Moreno Valley.
Andrea, a student pursuing fashion design at Fullerton College and working at a Cerritos mall, leaves behind a grieving family.
