Ethan Astaphan and Sonita Heng were arrested Thursday in connection with the slaying of 21-year-old Juan Carlos Hernandez, a student at El Camino College in Torrence who vanished on Sept. 22, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Astaphan and Heng had been arrested that morning. A subsequent investigation by the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division determined that the persons who tried to extort the missing man's family had no connection to his disappearance. The suspicion she felt about the phone call soon gave way to dread. Two persons of interest in the case Ethan Astaphan, 27, and 20-year-old Sonita Heng were identified as homicide suspects, according to LAPD. Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant. Sonita Heng, 20, of Harbor City, who is charged with being an accessory after the fact, also entered a not guilty plea. Editors Note: Added featured image on May 12, 2022, at 12:41 a.m. El Caminos student poets slam their way to cash prizes, Memorial and reception for longtime El Camino coach to be open to the public, Warriors baseball walk off in the bottom of 10th against Mt. Sign up here for our free newsletters. El Caminos student poets slam their way to cash prizes, Memorial and reception for longtime El Camino coach to be open to the public, Warriors baseball walk off in the bottom of 10th against Mt. The Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division worked with the FBI to investigate Hernandez's disappearance, and "their efforts provided detectives with a sequence of events to find Hernandez,'' according to a police statement. A judge gave the detectives permission to install a tracking device on Astaphans rented Ford truck in the middle of the night, and in early October, officers from the LAPDs secretive Special Investigation Section began tailing him. Ethan Astaphan, 27, charged with murder, and Sonita Heng, 20, charged with accessory after the fact in the death of Juan Carlos Hernandez Hernandez, 21, Los Angeles student and worker at a. The police described his account of that night in a search warrant affidavit. THIS IS KCRA 3 NEWS AT 4:00. On November 15, LAPD detectives, sheriff's deputies and FBI agents found Hernandez's body buried in a remote area off Afton Canyon Road near Interstate 15 between Barstow and Baker. The car he was driving,a 2020 Honda Civic belonging to his mother, was found abandoned a couple of miles from his work two days later. Ethan H. Shagan (born November 16, 1971) is an American historian of early modern Britain.Shagan is a professor of history at the University of California, Berkeley.He is also the chair of the History Department. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Hernandez' family reported him missing on the night of September 22,. After the iPad, this is the next best tablet. c. 738. Others, suffering from mental illness or addiction, slipped away from. Father dies eight days after getting stuck in indoor cave at tourist attraction: Tragedy at climbing wall as Did the King gift the late Queen's dresser Angela Kelly a house in bid to stop another royal memoir? Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, were both charged in the Sept. 22, 2020 death of 21-year-old El Camino College student Juan Carlos Hernndez, a news release by the District Attorney's office read. And she led him to his death. Yajaira Hernandez also shared her perspective on crimes like this. Kelly Clarkson's Home Collection Is Up to 74% Off During Way Day Deals, The Best Wayfair Way Day Deals 2023 Starting at $30, Wayfair's Way Day Sale Includes Up to 60% Off Outdoor Furniture Here's What to Shop ASAP, Amazon Has So Many Good Mother's Day Gifts on Sale Right Now. Astaphan, a citizen of the island of Dominica in the Caribbean, met Peng while living in the New York City area, according to his mother, Connie Didier. Shivering in her jail cell and huddled with fellow prisoners for warmth, Ahn Ei Sook (later known by her married name, Esther Ahn Kim) heard moaning from a nearby cell. LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division detectives, with assistance from a SWAT team, served search warrants Thursday at the homes of Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, who were persons of interest, according to police. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, She was his best friend. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. The San Bernardino County coroners office positively identified Hernandez and ruled his death a homicide. The pieces were coming together, but a day after seeing the video, the detectives learned two of their suspects were no longer in the country. The video showed a man and a woman in the dispensary at 6:34 a.m. on Sept. 23. He had just finished a shift working at a marijuana dispensary and had texted his mother saying he'd be home soon, the Los Angeles Times reported. She tries to smile, to laugh when she is around her other children, but I feel no form of happiness.. No comments have so far been submitted. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. I'm a nanny and these two simple steps will guarantee your child sleeps for a full 12 hours every night. Balian declined to discuss a potential motive for the killing. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KCRA-TV. Didier described Peng as a bad egg.. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. SAC, Top 5 Things to try at Caf Camino and El Cappuccino, El Camino to hold emergency evacuation drill, Turnout shy in student government election, Meta-Majors Center aims to connect majors, services, clubs, El Caminos Eid al-Fitr prayer leaves feelings of unity and disappointment, Warriors beach volleyball team scores back-to-back wins to finish regular season, Student Health Services offer weekly mental health workshops, The student news site of El Camino College, Trial of Ethan Astaphan has possible start date Sept. 6. FIRST. @britishvogue @buzzfeed & ! In a preliminary hearing was held over three days from Monday, Feb. 28 to Wednesday, March 2, 2022 before Judge Michael E. Pastor in Department 41. All three of the small, shabby storefronts were unlicensed and operating illegally, a detective wrote in an affidavit. Detectives arrested two people Thursday in connection with Hernndez's death, Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, according to the LAPD. Both were booked on suspicion of murder. EILEEN: THIS WEATHER SYSTEM IS DIPPING A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH SO IT LEFT A DUSTING IN THE HIGH SIERRA. Heng faces three years in prison. IT HAS A 70% EFFECTIVE RATE. Your email address will not be published. TEMPERATURES HOLDING YOUR 40 IN SACRAMENTO -- NEAR 40 IN SACRAMENTO, 46 PLACERVILLE AND FAIRFIELD. Citing cellphone records, detectives alleged in an affidavit that Astaphan, Peng and Heng traveled to an area between Barstow and Baker in the early hours of Sept. 23, then returned to South L.A. Carnage outside the nightclubs of Britain with Bank holiday treat! We've received your submission. When Hernndez asked about her son, the stores employees werent helpful. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any hopes, any dreams I had, theyre gone, she says. The screen for King Charles' coronation anointing is revealed, Monstrous tornado seen bearing down on Palm Beach, Ukraine drone strike hits major fuel depot in port Sevastopol, Braverman: People crossing Channel are 'at odds with British values', Historic chairs to be reused by the King for the coronation service, Women's rights activists and pro-trans campaigners separated, Russian freight train derails and bursts into flames after explosion, Moment large saltwater crocodile snatches pet dog off beach in QLD, Doctor slams Laurence Fox for 'spewing out biased views', 'You motherf***ers don't understand': Bam Margera details 'turmoil', Australian tourist allegedly spits in the face of a Java Imam, Hundreds of Household Division members rehearse for coronation. Peng looked on as Astaphan choked Hernndez, the detective wrote. The lots gate was sliding open. Detectives suspected there was more footage on the dispensarys cameras that the LAPD technicians werent able to recover. The Los Angeles Police Departments Robbery-Homicide Division worked with the FBI to investigate Hernandezs disappearance, and their efforts provided detectives with a sequence of events to find Hernandez, police said. Pengs then girlfriend, 22-year-old Sonita Heng, is accused of being an accomplice. The circumstances of his capture were unclear, said Deputy Dist. Technicians at the LAPDs lab went to work on the cameras and realized someone had tampered with them. On Thursday, police arrested 27-year-old Ethan Astaphan and 20-year-old Sonita Heng on suspicion of murder in connection with Hernandez's death. Working off an anonymous tip submitted to a police hotline, the detectives identified the man in the video as Ethan Kedar Astaphan, a bodyguard for the dispensarys owner, Weijia Peng, who went by James and Jay. A billboard in memory of Juan Carlos Hernandez at the corner of Florence and Western avenues. Both were booked on suspicion of murder. It. It wasn't clear if they had attorneys to speak for them.Astaphan faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. Many were found or reappeared when they were ready. MyNewsLA.com wont sell your information and you can unsubscribe at any time. Ethan Kedar Astaphan appeared in a downtown courtroom and pleaded not guilty in the killing of Juan "Cookie" Carlos Hernandez, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. TEO: RESEARCHERS SAFER PATIENTS GIVEN TWO FULL DOSES A MONTH APART HAD AN EFFECTIVENESS OF 62% EFFECTIVENESS. Hernndez, a student at El Camino College, was. DEIRDRE: LET US HEAD TO EILEEN JAVORA. On Nov. 15, Hernandezs body was found buried in a shallow grave along Afton Canyon Road east of Interstate 15, in a remote area of the Mojave Desert between Barstow and Baker. Juan Cookie Carlos Hernandez was reported missing after being last seen on Sept. 22 in the 8100 block of South Western Avenue, and his vehicle was found two days later in the 6400 block of South Figueroa Street, nearly three miles away, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Check for a confirmation email, and then you're all set with MyNewsLA.com! WE WILL TRACK THAT COMING UP. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) The body of a missing Jefferson Park man has been found, the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday. Juan Hernandez, a 21-year-old South Los Angeles man missing since September of this year has been found dead, the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday. Heng also testified at the preliminary hearing that Astaphan and Peng dragged Hernandez body from the back of the dispensary into an SUV and injected him with Ketamine as she drove to a desolate section of the Mojave Desert near Akton, California. Armed with a search warrant, the detectives forced open the door of VIP Collective LA early in the morning on Sept. 29. Authorities have not commented on whether the suspects knew the victim, nor have they revealed a possible motive in the case. Astaphan's defendant, 20-year-old Sonita Heng, has been charged with one count of accessory after the fact, officials said. "I knew there was a. TEO: A TEENAGER UNDER ARREST FOLLOWING A CONFRONTATION WITH POLICE IN YOLO COUNTY. It wasnt like her son, a 21-year-old student at El Camino College who hoped to transfer to USC to study engineering, to stay out all night and not tell her. Astaphan faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. Romero described the image as showing Astaphan on top of Hernandez, with his right arm wrapped around Hernandez neck. Rallies Planned to Mark May Day in Downtown, Little Tokyo, Boyle Heights, Vehicle Hits Pole in Mid-Wilshire Area; Man Killed, One Person Killed in Fiery Hacienda Heights Crash, JPMorgan Chase Bank Agrees to Purchase First Republic Bank, Police Arrest 24 During DUI Checkpoint in Riverside, Coroner IDs Man Who Jumped or Fell From Freeway Overpass. His phone was off. Witnesses testified during the hearing that Astpahan, who was Hernandez supervisor, along with the dispensary owner, Weijia Peng, killed Hernandez and dumped his body in a remote section of the Mojave Desert. She left her phone number and asked that the owner call her. Samthann / svhn /, [1] modernised spelling Samhthann or Samthana, is an Irish folk saint, purportedly a Christian nun and abbess in Early Christian Ireland. They were being held on $10million bail each. team, served search warrants Thursday at the homes of Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, who were described as "persons of interest'' in the case. He received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his master's degree and PhD from Princeton University (co-supervised by Diarmaid MacCulloch). They are scheduled to be arraigned Monday. PARTLY CLOUDY AND MAINLY CLEAR SKIES THIS MORNING. Heng has pleaded no contest to accessory after the fact. EDITORS NOTE: Title was fixed for clarity Sept. 13. Astaphan faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. A joint effort by the LAPDs Robbery-Homicide Division, the San Bernardinos Sheriffs Search and Rescue Team, the San Bernardinos Sheriffs Homicide, and the FBI led to the discovery of Hernndezs remains on Nov. 15, 2020. Ethan Astaphan and Sonita Heng were arrested Thursday in connection with the slaying of 21-year-old Juan Carlos Hernandez, a student at El Camino College in Torrence who vanished on Sept. 22, the. Two people have been charged in connection to the murder of Juan Carlos Hernndez, a 21-year-old college student from California whose body was discovered in the Mojave Desert last week, according to authorities. Interactive map shows how average age of nation varies by region as Mobsters burned alive, public stonings, gang-rape, ransom demands and political assassinations: How violence Mystery of Gina Lollobrigida's missing 9 million: Battle for Italian sex symbol's fortune takes a new twist 2 charged after body of missing college student from South L.A. found buried in Mojave Desert, Missing community college student found in shallow grave near Barstow - Los Angeles Times. Both were ordered to return to court Dec. 1 . It. Heng, of Harbor City, faces one count of accessory after the fact and can face up to three years in prison. 2 charged in killing of SoCal marijuana dispensary worker. Back it in. A vehicle backed up to the rear door of the dispensary and bumped into the building. Anyone with information was asked to call detectives Jaramillo and Hammer at 213-486-6840. Ethan Astaphan, 27, of San Gabriel was charged Monday with murder and Sonita Heng, 20, of Los Angeles was charged with being an accessory after the fact, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said in a statement. Juan Carlos Hernndez went to work one afternoon and never came home. . Heng faces three years in prison.Authorities haven't released a possible motive or other details about the killing. I think theres no such thing as justice We kid ourselves and say were fighting for justice, but in reality, were just fighting for these individuals to obtain punishment, Yajaira Hernandez said. The Bank Holiday excitement is a bit too much for some! She is testifying against Astaphan as part of a plea deal. It took a few weeks, but on Oct. 29, he handed the detectives evidence that made clear what had happened to Juan Carlos Hernndez. In one of the photos, standing to the left of Astaphan and Hernandez is another man that Heng identified during the preliminary hearing as Peng. During the warrants, Astaphan and Heng were arrested for suspicion of murder, police said. With each tip, her heart leaped: This is it. On Tuesday, May 3, Hernandez went to Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse for a hearing in the case of The People of Calif. vs. Sonita Heng. If the police know why she came back, they didnt explain it in their warrants. A missing persons flier for Juan Carlos Hernndez, is posted across the street from the marijuana dispensary in South Los Angeles where he worked and was last seen. THE BREEZE WILL PICK UP TODAY BUT YOU WILL SEE TEMPERATURES PRETTY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY. As word of his disappearance spread, Hernndez was getting calls at all hours from people who thought theyd seen him. The hearings of two suspects accused of murdering an El Camino College student were postponed until Sept. 21 for unknown reasons. The 21-year-old college student was found dead on November 15. The last call he had received was at 10:25 p.m. on the night he disappeared, from the same number E had used to call his mother. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. His bed was empty and still made up. This is him. Over the next eight weeks, Hernndez's family worked hard to raise awareness for their missing loved one, handing out fliers, picketing outside police headquarters demanding action and asking local officials to issue a reward. This isnt the outcome we ever wanted or thought wed get, the distraught mother told the Times. Ethan Kedar Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, were both charged in the Sept. 22, 2020 death of 21-year-old El Camino College student Juan Carlos Hernndez, a news release by the District Attorneys office read. Sonita Heng, 22, identified the third man in the photo as Weijia Peng, her boyfriend and owner of the V.I.P. And hard as it was, she reminded herself that he was capable of making his own decisions. THE TEEN WAS NOT HURT. 50S MIDDAY AND THEN 60S THIS AFTERNOON. Cluain-Bronach in Meath. Invasion of the super rats: '300 million super-rodents' that survive off takeaway scraps and evade poisons Police fraud investigation into SNP 'probing whereabouts of 400,000 bequeathed in people's wills'. They brought the recording system to a computer forensics specialist in the Glendale Police Department. Others, suffering from mental illness or addiction, slipped away from family and joined the growing ranks of homeless people living on city streets. "But I still feel blessed that we found his body.". They were wearing gloves and wiping down the shops interior with paper towels. Digital Original: Juan Carlos Hernndez's remains were found by authorities in a "shallow" grave east on Nov. 15, according to the LAPD. And some of the cases began with a missing persons report but ended with a murder charge. Mother of the UK's most premature twins who were given ZERO chance of survival says they are going from More than 12 pubs, restaurants or bars shut EVERY DAY in Britain last year as rampant inflation and soaring Rishi Sunak could bring back Help to Buy as Tories try to spike Labour attack over home ownership ahead of SWAG of the dump! A man and a woman have been charged with the killing of a 21-year-old Los Angeles marijuana dispensary worker whose body was found in a shallow grave in the Mojave Desert nearly two months after his disappearance. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. As she did every morning before leaving for work, Yajaira Hernndez peeked into her sons bedroom around 5:30 on Sept. 23. It wasnt just that you murdered our loved ones. She died on 19 December [3] 739. Astaphan will have a preliminary setting/resetting hearing and Heng will have a probation and sentence hearing, according to the LA courts case calendar. Heng, 22, has accepted a plea deal for her role in the murder of Hernandez son. Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen, 17-Year-Old Charged with Murder in Deaths of N.C. Schoolmate Devin Clark and Lyric Woods, How a Calif. Man with a Seemingly Perfect Life Killed His Wife, Then Went on the Lam After Posting Bail, Truck Driver Charged in Cold Case Murder of Calif. Woman Found Dead on Desert Highway Ramp in 1993, Kristin Smart Case: Paul Flores Found Guilty in 1996 Death and Disappearance of the Cal Poly Freshman, Conn. Man Accused of Murdering N.Y. Nurse on Tinder Date, Using Her Credit Card to Buy Plane Ticket, Woman Allegedly Helped Boyfriend Cover Up 2016 Murder of His Wife When She Was a Teen, Now She's Been Arrested, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. But, Regulators seize First Republic in 3rd bank failure, 2 arrested after missing South L.A. 21-year-olds, He couldnt just have disappeared: South L.A. mom, 2 dead, 2 injured after single-car crash in Oxnard, Hiker finds skeletal remains in San Bernardino County, More rain, mountain snow moves into for SoCal, Man arrested in fatal hit-and-run in Irwindale, Family honors Gabriel Isiguzo on death anniversary, Texas baseball player hit by gunfire during game, 9 injured, 2 critically after crash in San Bernardino, Warriors vs. Lakers playoffs: Start times, TV schedule, 700 dogs saved from puppy mill; 53 can be adopted, I.E. Assistant Head Deputy Habib Balian of the Major Crimes Division said Ethan Kedar Astaphan (dob 6/1/93) faces one count of murder in case BA491591. Peoples heard the hatch of the vehicle fall open, then grunting noises men make when they are carrying something heavy. Hernndez, a student at El Camino College, was reported missing by family on the night of Sept. 22. Less than a week after Hernandez was reported missing, the LAPD said that someone contacted the man's family and demanded a ransom in exchange for his safe return. A San Gabriel man was charged Monday with murdering a 21-year-old community college student whose remains were found in a remote area of the Mojave Desert nearly two months after he went missing in South Los Angeles. Hes a great kid, smart, kind, great personality, always helpful, his mother, Yajaira Hernandez, told KTLA a few days after his disappearance. Her car had been sitting empty, engine running, for hours. LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division detectives, with assistance from a SWAT team, served search warrants Thursday at the homes of Ethan Astaphan, 27, and Sonita Heng, 20, who were "persons of. Two suspects have been arrested in the murder of a missing college student who was found in a shallow grave near a highway in California, authorities said Friday. FBI agents alerted them that two weeks earlier, Peng and Heng had purchased same-day tickets to Istanbul, Turkey, by way of Paris and boarded their flight carrying $9,500 in cash. 'Hes a great kid, smart, kind, great personality, always helpful,' his mother, Yajaira Hernandez, told KTLA in late September. Her phone rang that evening. Hernandezwent missing after finishing work at a marijuana dispensary on September 22, Shortly after Hernandez was reported missing, someone tried to extort his family in exchange for his safe return, but police said it was a hoax. She blanketed Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Reddit with her sons story, signing off each post with the hashtag #helpmefindjuan.
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ethan astaphan and sonita heng