Andrea Vazquez – latest: Murder suspect Gabriel Esparza’s attorney says he’s scared as DA vows to seek justice
Authorities say Whittier teen was ‘randomly targeted’ before being found dead in Moreno Valley
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The suspect in Andrea Vazquez’s kidnapping and murder is reportedly “scared” after being hit with multiple felonies.
Gabriel Sean Esparza, 20, has been charged with murder, kidnapping and attempted rape in connection with the death of 19-year-old Andrea Vazquez. Mr Esparza entered a not-guilty plea when he made his first court appearance for the brutal slaying on Wednesday.
Vazquez was randomly kidnapped while on a date with her boyfriend at Penn Park in Whittier.
While Vazquez and her boyfriend were sitting in the parked car, an armed man approached them and began shooting. Vazquez’s boyfriend fled the scene and when he returned, he “discovered blood” near it and Vazquez was gone.
Vazquez’s body was found the following day in Moreno Valley.
Mr Esparza’s attorney Ambrosio Rodriguez told FOX11 that the 20-year-old was “scared.”
“Everyone in this case is in shock, and everyone who knows him can’t believe that he has been charged with this crime,” Mr Rodriguez told the network in a statement, adding that Mr Esparza is “just beginning to understand what is going on.”
Andrea Vazquez case being presented in court today
Officials from the Whittier Police Department said they expect to present the case of Andrea Vazquez’s death to the Los Angeles County District Attorney today.
Police did not provide any further detail other than the date the case was being presented.
Sister of Andrea Vazquez says she tracked her location after kidnapping
Edlyn Vazquez, the sister of Andrea Vazquez, said after her sister was kidnapped on Sunday she began tracking her location.
Andrea was the target of a random act of violence when she was suddenly kidnapped from the parking lot of a park in Los Angeles. Andrea’s boyfriend was with her when an armed man approached them and began shooting.
The man took Andrea in his car after the boyfriend fled.
Ms Vazquez told ABC7 that using Apple’s “Find My iPhone” feature she tracked her sister’s location.
“I tracked it to... going down the [Route] 60,” Ms Vazquez said. “I started following it and the location stopped in Moreno Valley, and that the last known location that I have of her.”
Authorities found Andrea’s body in a vegetation field in Moreno Valley on Monday night.
Local official thanks police and sends prayers to Andrea Vazquez family
Ambushed at an LA park, kidnapped and her body dumped in a field: What happened to Andrea Vazquez?
It was a Sunday night and a young couple were sitting together in a car at a park near Los Angeles.
What happened next was something straight out of a horror movie – except this was real life.
A gunman suddenly opened fire on the couple before pulling 19-year-old Andrea Vazquez from the car.
Vazquez’s boyfriend escaped the gunfire but returned to the vehicle to find she had been kidnapped.
After an intensive one-day search, the harrowing incident culminated in despair as Vazquez’s body was found in a field and a suspect – who has no known connection to the couple – was arrested for her murder.
Fazia Saqib reports:
What we know about kidnap and murder of Andrea Vazquez
Andrea Vazquez was with her boyfriend at a California park when a gunman ambushed them and kidnapped the teen. The desperate search to save her has now ended in tragedy. Faiza Saqib reports
Timeline in Andrea Vazquez case
20 August
Sometimes after 12am: An armed suspect approaches Andrea Vazquez and a male companion in a parked vehicle in the parking stall of Penn Park. The suspect begins shooting and takes Vazquez.
21 August
3pm: Gabriel Esparza, 20, arrested in connection to the shooting and kidnapping of Vazquez
11.50pm: Detective locate the body of Andrea Vazquez in a field off of Alessandro Boulevard and Merwin Street in Moreno Valley
Police say Andrea Vazquez was ‘randomly targetted’
Authorities in the Whittier Police Department said they believe the suspect who kidnapped and shot Andrea Vazquez was “randomly targetted.”
Vazquez was with her boyfriend in a parked car when the suspect approached them armed with a firearm.
“At this time, it appears that Andrea Vazquez and her male companion were randomly targeted by the suspect at Penn Park,” the statement from police read.
Body of Andrea Vazquez found in vegetation field
Police in California said that the body of Andrea Vazquez was found in a vegetation field near Alessandro Boulevard and Merwin Street in Moreno Valley.
“Throughout the investigation, an ongoing search for Andrea Vazquez took place in large open land areas of Moreno Valley. At 11:50 p.m. on August 21, 2023, detectives located the body of Andrea Vasquez in a vegetation field off Alessandro Boulevard and Merwin Street in Moreno Valley,” police said in a statement.
Her body was found after she was kidnapped by a suspect.
Police say suspect arrested in Vazquez’s death had no connection to her
Gabriel Sean Esparza, 20, has been arrested in connection with the crime.
Mr Esparza is facing charges of murder and kidnapping and is currently being held without bail.
“At this time, it appears that Andrea Vazquez and her male companion were randomly targeted by the suspect at Penn Park,” Whittier police said in a statement.