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SANTA ANA POLICE WITH THE HELP OF MEDIA AND COMMUNITY APPREHEND SHOOTER IN MURDER THAT OCCURRED – 02-13-2011

Case Synopsis

On 2/13/2011 at 2200 hours, officers were dispatched to 1714 E. McFadden for a shooting that had just occurred. Upon arrival, officers found 35 year old Esteban Navarrete lying on the parking lot with a gunshot wound to his head. Santa Ana Paramedics transported him to Western Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and later died from his injuries.

Several witnesses from the restaurant were interviewed and told the detectives there was a verbal argument between two groups of men inside of the Mariscos La Ola Restaurant over which state in Mexico was better. Some of the males from that argument exited the restaurant and had a fist fight in the parking lot. Victim Navarrete was in the restaurant with his wife and some friends, but was not involved in the verbal argument or the fist fight. Navarrete and his friends decided to leave before anything further happened. As they entered their car, two suspects approached and produced a handgun. The suspects fired several shots at the victims, striking Navarrete in the upper body. The suspects then ran to a waiting vehicle and fled the area.

On 2/17/11, Santa Ana Police Homicide Detectives received a call from a person who wanted to remain anonymous. The person said they recognized one of the subjects in the video broadcast as Ivan Sanchez from Santa Ana. Detectives positively identified Sanchez and began looking for him. During the search, detectives developed information that Sanchez was possibly leaving for Mexico to avoid being arrested. Utilizing various police resources, a subject resembling Sanchez was observed getting into a vehicle. With the assistance of the police helicopter Eagle and ground surveillance units, Sanchez was positively identified in the vehicle. The vehicle was stopped as it entered the southbound 5 freeway, and Sanchez was taken into custody.

Sanchez was interviewed and booked into the Orange County Jail for one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. SANCHEZ WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE PERSON WHO FIRED THE SHOT THAT KILLED VICTIM NAVARRETE.

Homicide Detectives are still attempting to identify and interview the other three subjects from the surveillance video.

ABC 7 News Story

author avatar
Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

4 thoughts on “SAPD apprehend shooter, in murder after argument about Mexican states”
  1. “over which state in Mexico was better”…….. Hmmmm

    Sounds like an argument the Admin is making in his blogging: “Are the Mexicans better than white people?”

    Other than that it was good arrest!…… No shooting in the back on the run from SAPD.

  2. As this story quickly faded from the OC Register when it was announced that the killer (suspect) was actually an American hadnever even been to Mexico . It faded.

    But, further scrutiny will show that his accomplice, Maria Rocha was actually from El Salvador, NOT Mexico.

    I know this kills the folks at the OCR and people like MQ, but we should reserve judgement as to cause until we know.

    YOU CAN BE AN AMERICAN AND LOOK MEXICAN – IN SOME CASES YOU CAN EVEN BE HERE LEGALLY……Not that the OCR would ever mention that.

  3. you know all this people talking out of their but should firstt find out what happen and the talk i knew ivan he is the sweetes person ever he is not a vilent person hope they get the one who realy shot that man

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