Police arrested a man who they claim shot and killed a car thief July 24 in Riverside, California.
Officers responded to the report of a car theft at about 12:20 a.m. on the 9100 block of Magnolia Avenue in the city located about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.
Witnesses told police the suspected car thief crashed into parked vehicles and a trash bin before stopping.
When officers arrived, they reported finding a man shot in the head and slumped over in the driver’s seat of a stolen Honda Civic.
The driver, later identified as Alex Arzate, 35, of Riverside was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a few hours later, according to a statement by the Riverside Police Department.
Detectives with the department’s robbery and homicide unit, along with forensics specialists and other detectives, identified the shooting suspect as Tony Ortiz, 41, of Perris, California, a small town about 20 miles south of Riverside.
Police say Mr. Ortiz witnessed Mr. Arzate steal the car. He then pulled out a handgun and shot him as he was driving away.
Mr. Ortiz was arrested at his Perris residence several hours after the shooting. A search of his house resulted in police finding several firearms, one of which detectives say was used to shoot Mr. Arzate.
Mr. Ortiz was charged with felony murder and remained in custody Tuesday on $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, according to inmate records. His next court date is Aug. 7.
