A Long Beach man was charged today with the murder and attempted murder of his neighbors when he allegedly shot at them outside their North Long Beach apartment, killing one and wounding the other, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office announced.
On Tuesday, September 14 Sotero Monteon, 61, allegedly shot and killed his neighbor, 49-year-old Benny Ceasar, and struck the mother of Ceasar’s child, stated Deputy District Attorney Lee Cernok, who is assigned to the case.
Ceasar died at the scene and the woman was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Monteon reportedly boarded a bus after the shooting but he was later taken into custody.
The defendant was charged with murder, attempted murder, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of ammunition, according to the district attorney’s office.
The felony complaint includes a special allegation that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm, which caused great bodily injury and death, officials added.
In the charging document, authorities stated that Monteon was previously convicted of manslaughter in 1975 and 1982, robbery in 1990, transporting/selling a controlled substance in 1993, assault with a firearm in 1997, and possession of a controlled substance in 2007 and 2012.
Monteon was scheduled to be arraigned today but his court appearance was postponed to September 29 at the Long Beach Courthouse.
The defendant faces at least 140 years to life in state prison if he is convicted as charged.
The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) is investigating the case.