Two men sentenced to prison for roles in killing of woman dumped in Pala

SAN DIEGO - Two men who pleaded guilty to murder counts for their roles in the slaying of a woman whose body was dumped in Pala near the Riverside County line were sentenced Monday, June 5 to state prison terms.

Pablo Victor Valadez, 40, and Jonnie Alexander Isaguirre, 27, were among five people arrested in 2017 for the death of 30-year-old Alexandria Nicole Smith.

The victim was reported missing on Oct. 2, 2017 and her body was discovered 10 days later near the Pala Casino. Prosecutors allege Smith was suffocated after a party in National

City and that the defendants subsequently stole her belongings.

Valadez was sentenced Monday morning to 15 years to life in state prison, while Isaguirre received a 25 year-to-life term.

The men were tried before a San Diego jury along with Amber Leal Suarez, 43. Suarez was convicted of first-degree murder, but the panel could not reach verdicts for Valadez or Isaguirre. The men later pleaded guilty.

Leal and Crystal Lopez Melendez, 38, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, await sentencing next month. A fifth defendant, Maria Yvette Perreira, pleaded guilty to robbery.

At the time of Smith’s death, she lived in San Diego with her mother and daughter. Smith’s mother reported her missing after she never returned home from the party.

At Monday’s sentencing hearing, Deputy District Attorney Dan Owens read a letter in court written by Smith’s mother, Nicole Smith, who wrote, ``There is no reason for them to ever live a life outside of prison. They need to suffer the same losses that I have and more. They need to feel the loneliness and heartache of losing something that is dear and close to them for the remainder of their lives.’’

Stoot fled the residence with C.J. but later returned after his cousin, identified in court papers as “D.J.,” picked him up in Perris. The defendant retrieved belongings from his house, after which his cousin allowed him to take her vehicle, dropping her at a residence in Moreno Valley before heading with his son to Las Vegas.

Authorities captured Stoot with his son in Las Vegas the following afternoon. The fugitive was taken into custody, and C.J., who was unharmed, was placed in the care of relatives.

The defendant has prior convictions for gun assault, domestic violence, possession of drugs for sale and witness intimidation.

Sexual assault suspect arrested in Temecula

City News Service

Special to the Valley News

A 30-year-old man suspected of sexual assault in Temecula and Mojave County, Arizona, was arrested Thursday, June 1, deputies said.

The Southwest Sheriff’s Station responded to the 44000 block of Pechanga Parkway at around 8:55 p.m. Saturday, May 20, to a report about a sexual assault that allegedly occurred in the area, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

The suspect, Joseph Edward Labastida of Temecula, allegedly fled the scene moments before deputies arrived. Deputies conducted an investigation, gathering leads from the community regarding the alleged assault; and Labastida was located and arrested near Temecula Parkway and La Paz Road. He was booked into custody at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of felony sexual assault charges, according to the department.

Joseph Edward Labastida.

Valley News/RSO photo

The investigation also revealed that Labastida is also wanted for sexual assault charges in Mojave County, Arizona. Anyone with information about the alleged assaults was urged to contact Investigator Gouvion at 951-696-3000.

One person stabbed in altercation at Menifee residence

City News Service

Special to Valley News

Police were searching for a suspect Saturday, June 3, after an altercation that resulted in one man being stabbed in Menifee.

Authorities received a call at around 7 a.m. Friday from a reporting party who was driving the victim to a hospital, according to the Menifee Police Department.

Officers located them in the area of Highway 74 and Menifee Road, and rendered aid before Cal Fire Riverside personnel arrived.

An ambulance took the man to a hospital, where he was listed with stable vital signs, police said.

According to Lt. Christina Rev-

City News Service

Special to the Valley News eles, the stabbing occurred in a residence in the 27000 block of Sun City Boulevard after an altercation broke out between the occupants.

A convicted felon and two other individuals accused of killing a 27-year-old Perris man on Christmas Eve pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges Monday, June 5.

Miguel Angel Villegas, 30, Andrik Avalos Villasenor, 21, and Kassandra Lepe, 21, all of Hemet, were arrested in December following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the slaying of Rafael Morales in Perris.

Along with murder, Villegas and Villasenor are charged with robbery and burglary. Villegas is additionally charged with firearm assault and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations. Lepe is additionally charged with receiving stolen property.

The trio were arraigned together Monday before Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Sept. 12 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Lepe and Villasenor are each being held in lieu of $1 million bail, her at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, him at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.

The stabbing victim allegedly was also armed, and was subsequently arrested. The person suspected of stabbing him was still outstanding, but no description was immediately available.

Police said it was believed to be an isolated incident in which the parties knew each other, and there was no danger to the community.

Anyone with additional information about the stabbing ia encouraged to contact Detective William Flores at wflores@menifeepolice.org

Villegas is being held without bail at the downtown jail.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Ed Baeza, about 11 p.m. on Dec. 24, the trio were involved in an unspecified confrontation with Morales at a residence in the 300 block of West Seventh Street, near Perris Boulevard.

During the encounter, the victim was shot at least once in the upper body, Baeza said.

Witnesses called 911, and deputies and paramedics converged on the location within minutes, pronouncing Morales dead at the scene.

Baeza said Central Homicide Unit detectives quickly identified Villegas and Villasenor as two of the alleged assailants. Both were tracked to separate locations the following day and taken into custody without incident.

Lepe was identified later and arrested on East Florida Avenue in Hemet.

Neither she nor Villasenor has documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County. However, Villegas has priors for assault resulting in great bodily injury, auto theft, driving under the influence of drugs and statutory rape, according to court records.

June 9 – 15, 2023