Two men pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a 19-year-old man whose body was discovered in Long Beach about seven years ago.
Rueben Alexander Ortega, 26, of Lakewood, and Edgar Miguel Espinoza,25, of Downey, were immediately sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison.
The two were charged in the killing of Nick Cubas, who was found shot to death on Aug. 4, 2016, near Willow Street and the San Gabriel River.
Authorities have not determined where the 19-year-old Downey resident was killed or the motive for the crime.
Deputy District Attorney John Chang noted that the victim was “loved by many in the community, including his friends and family.”
Long Beach police arrested Ortega a day after Cubas’ body was found, and Espinoza was taken into custody about three weeks later. The two have remained behind bars since then, according to jail records.
Five other counts against Espinoza and Ortega—including kidnapping for carjacking and second-degree robbery—were dismissed as a result of their pleas.