Police believe that the same suspect may be responsible for the recent shooting deaths of two Hispanic men, according to a press release issued Wednesday.
Jonathan Cordova, 18, was killed near his home at 15th & Cordova as he walked with friend on January 30, 2010. Esaul Villagrana, 23, was killed as he sat in his car with his pregnant wife in the passenger seat (she was not injured) near the intersection of 20th & Cedar on October 26, 2009.
Police now believe the same person was involved in both murders. They also believe the suspect acted with accomplices in the murder of Villagrana.
After the murder of Cordova, authorities recovered a security camera that showed footage of a white 2003 Toyota Corolla with missing hubcaps (photo above) leaving the scene. They now believe this is the suspect vehicle, and would like to speak with anyone who may have seen a vehicle matching that description.
Villagrana was a former Los Angeles gang member who moved to Long Beach and attempted to leave his gang background. The family of Cordova has continually insisted that he was not a gang member and while authorities have not disputed that, they have publicly stated that his death was gang-related in some way.
Columba Garcia-Vasquez, the mother of Jonathan Cordova, mourns her son during a police press conference in March to bring attention to the search for his killer.