Peoples was sleeping in the parking lot behind VIP Collective LA when a sound startled him awake. Please enter valid email address to continue. Cops said Hernandez was the victim of a homicide. Arraignment is scheduled today in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) The body of a missing Jefferson Park man has been found, the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday. Whoops! 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. And hard as it was, she reminded herself that he was capable of making his own decisions. Booking photos werent immediately released. A billboard in memory of Juan Carlos Hernandez at the corner of Florence and Western avenues. or debate this issue live on our message boards. No comments have so far been submitted. Working off an anonymous tip submitted to a police hotline, the detectives identified the man in the video as Ethan Kedar Astaphan, a bodyguard for the dispensary's owner, Weijia Peng, who went. [2] She is one of only four female Irish saints for whom Latin Lives exist. Armed with a search warrant, the detectives forced open the door of VIP Collective LA early in the morning on Sept. 29. Detectives suspected there was more footage on the dispensarys cameras that the LAPD technicians werent able to recover. Do not sell or share my personal information. 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. The San Bernardino County coroners office positively identified Hernandez and ruled his death a homicide. 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. WINTERS POLICE SAY THE TEENAGER WAS OUTSIDE A POLICE DEPARTMENT ARMED WITH A KNIFE. Plane crashes into hillside in Beverly Crest; 1 dead, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Sonita Heng, 22, identified the third man in the photo as Weijia Peng, her boyfriend and owner of the V.I.P. The detectives were confident the ransom demands were coming from opportunists who had nothing to do with the disappearance. "This isn't the outcome we ever wanted or thought we'd get," Hernndez's mother, Yajaira Hernndez, told the Times on Thursday. Judge Lynn Hobbs presided over the hearing in Department 117. This isnt the outcome we ever wanted or thought wed get, the distraught mother told the Times. Peng's then girlfriend, 22-year-old Sonita Heng, is accused of being an accomplice. Peoples heard the hatch of the vehicle fall open, then grunting noises men make when they are carrying something heavy. [4] THE BREEZE WILL PICK UP TODAY BUT YOU WILL SEE TEMPERATURES PRETTY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY. Juan Hernandez, 21, was reporting missing by his family Sept. 22 after not returning home from work. IT HAS A 70% EFFECTIVE RATE. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? 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. 615 following. She blanketed Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Reddit with her sons story, signing off each post with the hashtag #helpmefindjuan. The 10 most expensive zip codes in the U.S. high school recreates Rihannas halftime performance. PARTLY CLOUDY AND MAINLY CLEAR SKIES THIS MORNING. 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. The woman was Sonita Heng, Pengs 20-year-old girlfriend. At the preliminary hearing, Hernandez' coworker, Daniel Romero, gave testimony regarding photos recovered from the dispensary's surveillance camera. 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 . WHEN THE SHOT WAS JUST HALF A DOSE, THAT GREW TO 90%. On Sept. 22, 2020, 21-year-old El Camino College engineering student Juan Carlos Hernandez left from his home on Adams Blvd. Heng, of Harbor City, faces one count of accessory after the fact and can face up to three years in prison. 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. She printed fliers with her sons photo and, with the help of family, posted them in the neighborhood around the dispensary. 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. 50S MIDDAY AND THEN 60S THIS AFTERNOON. 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.. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? 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. Working off an anonymous tip submitted to a police hotline, the detectives identified the man in the video as Ethan Kedar Astaphan, a bodyguard for the dispensarys owner, Weijia Peng, who went by James and Jay. 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. A motive remains unknown. Two people have been charged after the body of a slain 21-year-old college student from South Los Angeles was found buried outside Barstow nearly two months after he went missing, prosecutors said Monday. They brought the recording system to a computer forensics specialist in the Glendale Police Department. Yajaira Hernandezs 21-year-old son, Juan Carlos Hernandez, went to work one afternoon in September 2020 and never came home. "But I still feel blessed that we found his body.". This location, Heng said, was where Astaphan and Peng left Hernandez body. Heng faces three years in prison.Authorities haven't released a possible motive or other details about the killing. November 19, 2020 / 8:04 PM DEIRDRE: LET US HEAD TO EILEEN JAVORA. The victim, Juan Hernandez, was last seen on Sept. 22 leaving his home for work at VIP Collective, a cannabis dispensary in South L.A. His family reported him missing when he didnt come home. EILEEN: THIS WEATHER SYSTEM IS DIPPING A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH SO IT LEFT A DUSTING IN THE HIGH SIERRA. 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. Sonita Heng, 20, of Harbor City,. I AM TEO TORRES. (Soudi Jimnez / Los Angeles Times en Espaol). The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. A GoFundMe started to help the family with expenses has raised $26,418 of its $30,000 goal as of Tuesday. 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. Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, were both charged in the Sept. 22, 2020 death of 21-year-old El Camino College student Juan Carlos Hernndez, a news release by the District Attorney's office read. Great Expectations viewers slam BBC for CHANGING ending of the Dickens From breathtaking beaches to epic waterfalls and lost valleys: Fascinating new guidebook bursting with From being born a man to Queen of the Mountains: Trans cyclist romps to victory in elite in women's race Cookery's ultimate hellraiser dead at 46: British Masterchef host Jock Zonfrillo lost his virginity at 12, Pictured: 'Much-loved son', 35, stabbed to death in knife rampage outside Cornwall nightclub which left Why you DON'T need to ask your in-laws' permission to propose! The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department Search and Rescue Team found Hernandezs remains Sunday in a shallow grave along Afton Canyon Road, east of Interstate 15, north of Barstow, police said. 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. Yajaira Hernandez also shared her perspective on crimes like this. Collective. Astaphan and Heng were arrested on . Students demand better access to care. Two persons of interest in the case Ethan Astaphan, 27, and 20-year-old Sonita Heng were identified as homicide suspects, according to LAPD. She did the only things she could: She called the police and she started looking. He doesnt have to tell his mother where hes going. The body of Juan Carlos Hernndez, 21, was discovered in a shallow grave dug off Interstate 15 in San Bernardino County. Astaphan pleaded not guilty on Monday after being charged with murder, while Heng pleaded not guilty to being an accessory after the fact. 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. ), 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. With each tip, her heart leaped: This is it. As word of his disappearance spread, Hernndez was getting calls at all hours from people who thought theyd seen him. He was one of 3,781 people reported missing last year in Los Angeles. Well send you the latest headlines every morning and every weekday afternoon. The two were arrested under suspicion of murder on Nov. 19, four days after investigators found Hernndez's remains in a shallow grave dug off Interstate 15 in San Bernardino County, PEOPLE previously reported. 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 Sept. 24, authorities found his car about two miles from his job. The trial of the accused in the killing of El Camino College student Juan Carlos Hernandez is expected to commence on Sept. 6. Any hopes, any dreams I had, theyre gone, she says. Astaphan's defendant, 20-year-old Sonita Heng, has been charged with one count of accessory after the fact, officials said. Your email address will not be published. Published: 21:42 BST, 24 November 2020 | Updated: 21:56 BST, 24 November 2020. Yajaira Hernandez holds a photo of her son, El Camino College student Juan Hernandez, 21, at the #SurvivorsSpeak rally in Sacramento on Tuesday, April 26. @britishvogue @buzzfeed & ! 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. . Sonita Heng, 20, of Harbor City, who is charged with being an accessory after the fact, also entered a not guilty plea. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, set to transfer to the University of Southern California. 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. Both were ordered to return to court Dec. 1, when a date is expected to. Less than a week after Hernandez was reported missing, the LAPD said that someone contacted the man's family and demanded a ransom in exchange for his safe return. It wasn't clear if they had attorneys to speak for them.Astaphan faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. And she led him to his death. It wasnt just that you murdered our loved ones. 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 of Juan Carlos. The video showed a man and a woman in the dispensary at 6:34 a.m. on Sept. 23. Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorney Habib Balian appeared for the people, and Larson Hahm, a Los Angeles County deputy public defender, represented Astaphan. 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. He saw headlights and heard someone call out, Turn around. Astaphan and Heng, the two people detained in connection . He received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his master's degree and PhD from Princeton University (co-supervised by Diarmaid MacCulloch). She tries to smile, to laugh when she is around her other children, but I feel no form of happiness.. This story has been shared 100,454 times. 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. I wish I had the knowledge, power or money to do more.. FIRST. Astaphan, of San Gabriel, faces one count of murder. 33.9K followers. After the iPad, this is the next best tablet. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. L.A. has a new answer, Epic snowpack upends rhythms of life for many species in Sierra Nevada range, Decades of failures leave L.A. County facing up to $3 billion in sex abuse claims, Most California colleges dont offer rape kits on campus. They only think for themselves, because thats what that moment was, that moment of rage where they are thinking of their needs, their wants, their desires and not thinking of how that action will impact not only that person, but their whole family and community.. 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. Leading Jewish organisation demands urgent meeting with The Guardian's editor after newspaper is engulfed by STEPHEN POLLARD: It's often the self-proclaimed anti-racists who are the foulest of the lot. 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. Authorities haven't released a possible motive or other details about the killing. Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, is currently facing one count of murder, . During the warrants, Astaphan and Heng were arrested for suspicion of murder, police said. Heng had returned to the country a week earlier, alone. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KCRA-TV. Romero described the image as showing Astaphan on top of Hernandez, with his right arm wrapped around Hernandez neck. Ethan Astaphan and Sonita Heng were arrested Thursday in connection with the slaying of 21-year-old Juan Carlos Hernandez, a student at El Camino College in Torrence who vanished on Sept. 22, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Her gut told her something was wrong. Another caller said he might have been at 4th and San Pedro. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. You altered our future forever.. 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. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Required fields are marked *. Also gone, she realized with mounting alarm, was her gray Honda Civic, which her son had driven the previous day to his job at a marijuana dispensary in South Los Angeles. . 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. Carnage outside the nightclubs of Britain with Bank holiday treat! If the police know why she came back, they didnt explain it in their warrants. Her sons 22nd birthday came and went. The cameras did record. 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. If convicted as charged, Astaphan faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison, while Heng could be sentenced to up to three years in prison. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division worked with the FBI to investigate Hernandez's disappearance, and "their efforts provided detectives with a sequence of events to find Hernandez,'' according to a police statement. Hernndez and other family members checked out every tip, sometimes getting up in the middle of the night to head to skid row. The lots gate was sliding open. Peng exited the frame seconds before the video ended, leading detectives to conclude in the affidavit that he disabled the camera. Four days later, investigators arrested Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, on suspicion of Hernndez's murder, according to the release. Hernndez, a part-time engineering student at ECC, was reported missing last September by his family after having failed to make it home from his night shift at the VIP Collective LA, a marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles. Two people have been charged in the killing of a Los Angeles marijuana dispensary worker whose body was found in a shallow grave in the Mojave Desert, authorities said Monday. Detectives arrested two people Thursday in connection with Hernndez's death, Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, according to the LAPD. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. TEO: A TEENAGER UNDER ARREST FOLLOWING A CONFRONTATION WITH POLICE IN YOLO COUNTY. Missing Calif. College Student Is Found Dead in Shallow Grave, and 2 Suspects Have Been Arrested, One Suspect Arrested, Another Sought in Slaying of N.J. Kindergarten Teacher Found Dead in Shallow Grave, Cold Cases Heat Up: How Advances in DNA Technology Are Helping to Bring Justice for Victims, Alaska Teen Killed 'Best Friend' After Man Online Allegedly Offered $9M for Videos of Murder in Catfish Scheme, New '20/20' Episode Examines Shocking Murders of 4 University of Idaho Students, 'Why Did You Kill My Daddy? Hernandez' family reported him missing on the night of September 22,. Less than a week after he vanished, someone contacted the family and tried to extort money from them for his safe return, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The hearings of two suspects accused of murdering an El Camino College student were postponed until Sept. 21 for unknown reasons. 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. It is unclear at this time what led law enforcement officials to that location. Heng has pleaded no contest to accessory after the fact. Ethan Kedar Astaphan is on trial as one of three defendants accused in the alleged murder of El Camino College engineering student Juan Carlos Hernandez. WE WILL TRACK THAT COMING UP. The detectives got a search warrant for his phone records. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The locations of the homes were not immediately available. I wish I could do more. The screen for King Charles' coronation anointing is revealed, Monstrous tornado seen bearing down on Palm Beach, Ukraine drone strike hits major fuel depot in port Sevastopol, Braverman: People crossing Channel are 'at odds with British values', Historic chairs to be reused by the King for the coronation service, Women's rights activists and pro-trans campaigners separated, Russian freight train derails and bursts into flames after explosion, Moment large saltwater crocodile snatches pet dog off beach in QLD, Doctor slams Laurence Fox for 'spewing out biased views', 'You motherf***ers don't understand': Bam Margera details 'turmoil', Australian tourist allegedly spits in the face of a Java Imam, Hundreds of Household Division members rehearse for coronation. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. The pieces were coming together, but a day after seeing the video, the detectives learned two of their suspects were no longer in the country. They were booked for allegedly killing 21-year-old Juan Hernndez. Sign up here for our free newsletters. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. 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. He was going to his job at the V.I.P. His lawyer didnt return messages requesting comment. Back it in. A vehicle backed up to the rear door of the dispensary and bumped into the building. 'Grandpa King is adorable!' Anyone with information was asked to call detectives Jaramillo and Hammer at 213-486-6840. All three of the small, shabby storefronts were unlicensed and operating illegally, a detective wrote in an affidavit. Habib Balian, who is prosecuting the case. AT SOME POINT A SHOT WAS FIRED FROM DEPUTIES. She said her son hadnt called or texted family or friends, something that was out of character for him. 'Woke' Google bosses ban staff from using terms including 'man hours', 'you guys', 'blacklist' and 'chubby' Do YOU live in Britain's oldest town? 'This isnt the outcome we ever wanted or thought wed get, but I still feel blessed that we found his body,'Yajaira Hernandes said. Astaphan faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Believing Hernandez was likely the victim of a crime, police called the FBI for help in the case, according to LAPD. Two people have been arrested and charged in connection to the killing of Juan Carlos Hernandez in Los Angeles. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Im sorry if Im overwhelming anyone with my videos, posts or anything, she wrote on Instagram. Citing cellphone records, detectives alleged in an affidavit that Astaphan, Peng and Heng traveled to an area between Barstow and Baker in the early hours of Sept. 23, then returned to South L.A. ': Ohio Man Sentenced for Murdering Family of 8, Idaho Murder Victims' Families React to Suspect's Arrest: 'Such a Blessing and Relief', Suspect Arrested in Killings of Four University of Idaho Students, Ex-Border Patrol Agent Convicted in the Deaths of 4 South Texas Women: Report, Woman Pleads Guilty to Helping Bury, Conceal Body of Murdered Ft. 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, Hearings of two individuals connected to ECC students death are postponed. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The Mail follows in Prince Harry's footsteps with a stay at a breathtaking resort on the isle of Grenada Now Leeds' own EX-PLAYERS pile in on their 'embarrassing' entitled stars who ignored young fans waiting to Leeds considering SACKING Javi Gracia - 10 weeks after he replaced Jesse Marsch - after run of five games 'We're not your enemies!' (Kim McGill | The Union). At the preliminary hearing, Hernandez coworker, Daniel Romero, gave testimony regarding photos recovered from the dispensarys surveillance camera. It took a few weeks, but on Oct. 29, he handed the detectives evidence that made clear what had happened to Juan Carlos Hernndez.
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