New Anaheim | Monthly Archives: April 2021

The murder of an Anaheim woman was finally solved after 41 years

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Editor Posted in Crime, News Leave a comment

ANAHEIM, Calif. (April 30, 2021) – More than 41 years after 79-year-old Viola Hagenkord was found sexually assaulted and deceased in her Anaheim apartment, 64-year-old Andre William Lepere of Alamogordo, New Mexico, has been arrested and charged with her murder.

On February 18, 1980, Anaheim police officers responded to Hagenkord’s apartment in the 2500 block of W. Winston Road after a neighbor entered her apartment and found her dead.

Neighbors became concerned when they hadn’t seen Hagenkord for two days, which was unusual because she was well known throughout her apartment complex community. Homicide detectives investigated the case extensively and collected valuable evidence, but the case went cold.

Over the course of the following decades, other homicide detectives revisited the case, but no suspects were identified. In September 2020, cold case homicide detectives once again began to investigate Hagenkord’s murder, and collaborated with the Orange County Crime Lab and the FBI’s Orange County Violent Crime Task Force.

As a result of these efforts, Lepere was identified as a suspect. On April 28, 2021, Anaheim homicide detectives went to Alamogordo, New Mexico, and worked with the New Mexico State Police, Otero County Sheriff’s Department, Otero County District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to locate and arrest Lepere for Hagenkord’s murder.

The New Mexico State Police served a search warrant at Lepere’s residence in the 2000 block of Amber Skies Avenue and took Lepere into custody without incident.

Orange County’s Hope Builders is all about second chances

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Editor Posted in Education, News Leave a comment

The White House Proclaimed April as “Second Chance Month,” citing that incarcerated individuals after serving their time should have the opportunity to fully reintegrate into society – lifting up those who are committed to rejoining society and making meaningful contributions. Californians are taking that mission seriously and have success stories to prove it.

Meet Viniquia Reed and David Gonzalez – two Californians who went through HopeBuilders, a program that prepares disadvantaged young adults for living-wage careers by providing mentorship, life skills and job training. Both Viniquia and David are now employed and have successful careers with southern California-based Sunwest Electric, Inc.

A Bit About Viniquia: After being released from prison, Viniquia was striving to build a successful life and that’s when she found Hope Builders. Her dedication showed when driving more than an hour daily to successfully complete the program. Her hard work and commitment paid off. Now, Viniquia has a flourishing career as an electrician at Sunwest Electric, Inc. and is serving as an industry-leader in a widely male dominated field that has a myriad of opportunities to offer women.

A Bit About David: David heard about Hope Builders after being released from prison and was struggling to find employment. Able to secure numerous job interviews, potential employers passed on David after learning of his record. It was at Hope Builders where he fell in love with construction and found a path to Sunwest Electric, Inc. as an electrician – creating an opportunity to build a successful life that includes career achievement and opportunities for growth and advancement.

A Bit About Hope Builders: Hope Builders exists to move disadvantaged young adults from poverty to prosperity by meeting program participants where they are on their life trajectories and empowering them to realize their strengths. Every year, Hope Builders serves more than 240 young adults, who are caught in the cycle of poverty and prepares them to launch their careers in construction and healthcare in order to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency.

A Bit About Sunwest Electric, Inc.: Sunwest Electric, Inc. is an established leader in the construction industry with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. As one of the largest merit shop electrical contractors based in California, the company offers a range of services in many markets and industries.

The Anaheim police arrested murder suspect Fernando Garcia

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Editor Posted in Crime, News Leave a comment

ANAHEIM, Calif. (April 27, 2021) – Anaheim Police Investigators have located and arrested Fernando Garcia, 39, of Anaheim for the murder of 34-year-old Francisco Villagomez, also of Anaheim.

On Sunday, April 25, at about 7 p.m., Anaheim Police Officers responded to a call of a shooting in the 200 block of E. Clifton Street in the City of Anaheim. Officers located Francisco Villagomez suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Villagomez was pronounced deceased on scene.

The resulting investigation identified Garcia as the shooting suspect.

On Monday, April 26, at about 10:30 p.m., Anaheim PD Investigators located Garcia in a vehicle in the City of San Bernardino near the 215 Freeway and Baseline Road. Garcia was taken into custody without incident.

Garcia is currently being held in lieu of $1 million bail. The weapon used in the murder has not been recovered. Detectives have declined to discuss the details about motives or the evidence that lead to the identification of Garcia as the suspect.

Homicide detectives are asking anyone with information to call the Homicide Detail at 714-321-3669 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.

The Anaheim police are searching for an armed murder suspect

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Editor Posted in Anaheim, Crime, News Leave a comment

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Homicide detectives have identified 39-year-old Anaheim resident Fernando Garcia as a murder suspect.

At about 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 25, Anaheim police responded to the 200 block of E. Clifton Street to investigate a report of a shooting and found a male victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

The male victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. Homicide detectives were called to investigate the incident and the suspect in the shooting has been identified as 39-year-old Anaheim resident Fernando Garcia.

Garcia has not been located and is considered armed and dangerous.

Homicide detectives are asking anyone with information to call the Homicide Detail at 714-321-3669 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.

Anaheim man arrested for a fatal shooting in Anaheim

Posted on April 17, 2021 by Editor Posted in Anaheim, Crime, News Leave a comment

ANAHEIM, Calif. (April 16, 2021) – Homicide detectives have arrested Richard Flores, 20, of Anaheim for the nighttime shooting death of 30-year-old Jefferson Anthony Davis, also of Anaheim.

At about 11:30 p.m. last night, Anaheim officers responded to a shots fired call in the 1700 block of W. Glenoaks Ave. and found Davis suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.

After the shooting, Flores was identified as a person of interest. Investigators located Flores traveling in a vehicle in the city of Fullerton and attempted to contact him, but Flores fled.

The Anaheim Police SWAT team conducted an extensive search of the area and located Flores in the 600 block of S. Brookhurst Road in Fullerton. Flores was taken into custody without further incident. The resulting investigation confirmed Flores is the suspect in the shooting death of Davis.

The SWAT team subsequently served a related search warrant at a motel in the 1000 block of E. Orangethorpe Ave. in Anaheim.

Detectives do not believe this homicide is gang-related. Detectives have declined to discuss details about other possible motives or the evidence that led to the identification of Flores as a suspect.

Flores was booked into the Anaheim Detention Facility for murder and is being held in lieu of $1 million.

Anyone with information is urged to call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

Three Fullerton men arrested for the murder of an Anaheim man

Posted on April 17, 2021 by Editor Posted in Anaheim, Crime, News Leave a comment

ANAHEIM, Calif. (April 16, 2021) – Homicide detectives have arrested three Fullerton residents for the murder of 28-year-old Edwin Richard Ramirez Hernandez who was shot to death in the area of S. Citron Street and W. Bellevue Drive on August 15, 2020.

At about 12:30 a.m. on August 15, Anaheim officers responded to a shots fired call and found Hernandez, an Anaheim resident, dead at the scene. Hernandez had suffered several gunshot wounds. A 27year-old Anaheim man also had been shot; he was treated at a local hospital and survived.

Over the course of the past eight months, detectives continued to investigate the case and identified Dominick Sanchez, 27, Jacob Antunez, 24, and Jorge Nolasco, 27, as suspects.

On April 15, 2021, APD SWAT, North County SWAT and Orange County Sheriff’s SWAT teams served search warrants at the suspects’ Fullerton residences and all three suspects were taken into custody without incident.

Detectives believe the suspects thought Ramirez-Hernandez and the other victim were rival gang members and targeted them during the August shooting.

Detectives have declined to discuss details about the evidence that led to the identification of the suspects because the investigation is ongoing.

Sanchez, Antunez and Nolasco were all booked into the Anaheim Detention Facility for murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and gang enhancements. They are being held without bail.

Anyone with information is urged to call Anaheim PD at 714-321-3669.

Anaheim man convicted of murdering his wife on Christmas day, in 2011

Posted on April 7, 2021 by Editor Posted in Crime, News Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. – An Anaheim man was convicted today of second degree murder for killing his wife on Christmas in 2011 and then propping her body on the couch while the woman’s children opened Christmas presents. He had previously spent time in jail for beating his wife.

William Wallace, 39, of Anaheim, was indicted on one felony count of murder by a grand jury in 2012.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2021. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life.

Between Dec. 24, 2011, and Dec. 25, 2011, Wallace used blunt force trauma to the head of his wife, Zazell Preston, 26, rendering her unconscious. The victim’s 3-year-old and 8-year-old daughters from a previous relationship and the couple’s 7-week-old son were in the apartment at the time.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2011, Wallace is accused of calling 911 to report that Preston was in need of medical attention. Responding Anaheim Police Department officers discovered the victim unresponsive. She was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead.

Preston had been taking college classes in hopes of becoming a domestic violence counselor.

“A young mother finally losing her life after years of violence at the hands of her husband is a heart wrenching tragedy,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “That heartbreak is only exacerbated by the fact that her children witnessed much of the violence and were forced to celebrate Christmas in the presence of their dead mother. That is not a Christmas memory any child should be forced to have. Thankfully, Senior District Attorney Heather Brown fought for – and achieved – justice for Zazell Preston. We all have an obligation to speak up against violence of any kind, especially domestic violence where the victims are so fiercely controlled by their abusers. The cycle of domestic violence is a vicious one and I want every victim of domestic violence to know that they are not alone. No one should have to live in fear of violence in their own home.”

Victims of domestic violence can find help through the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and our community partners by visiting the Orange County District Attorney website at http://orangecountyda.org/howdoi/services/resources.asp

Senior Deputy District Attorney Heather Brown of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

The Anaheim Police Department is conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on April 9

Posted on April 7, 2021 by Editor Posted in Crime, News Leave a comment

The Anaheim Police Department is conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on April 9 at Lincoln & Monterey from 6PM-12AM.

Checkpoint locations are chosen based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired.

During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

As the state continues to work to stop the spread of COVID-19, the Anaheim Police Department is committed to keeping the public safe.

“The safety of our community is and always will be our primary mission.” Traffic Sergeant Rick Boyer said. “We continue to look for impaired drivers because driving under the influence is still dangerous.”

The Anaheim Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about driving or “operating heavy machinery,” which includes driving a car. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

If you plan on drinking or taking medications that may impact your ability to drive safely, plan on staying at home.

Drivers charged with DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.