| For Immediate Release Case # 11CF1595 June 5, 2013 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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MAN FACES TRIAL FOR SHOOTING-MURDER OF ESTRANGED WIFE AFTER FOLLOWING HER FROM WORK
SANTA ANA – A man faces trial tomorrow for murdering his estranged wife by shooting her nine times in the chest after following her from work. John Rand Agosta, 37, Anaheim, is charged with one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison. Opening statements are expected to begin tomorrow, Thursday, June 6, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-29, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
At approximately 2:00 p.m. on June 16, 2011, Agosta is accused of being armed with a firearm and waiting outside of his estranged wife’s work in his Ford Mustang. The 28-year-old victim, Alejandra Hernandez, worked at a pre-school in the Turtle Rock area in Irvine.
When Hernandez left work for lunch and began to drive away, Agosta is accused of following her in his car. Approximately half a mile from her work, Hernandez stopped her car in a cul-de-sac and got out.
Agosta is accused of murdering the victim by shooting her nine times in the chest. He is accused of getting back into his vehicle, but was unable to start the engine. Agosta is accused of then getting out of his car, going back to the victim’s body, turning her over using his foot, and then fleeing the scene on foot. The Ford Mustang, which is registered to the defendant, was left at the scene.
The Irvine Police Department (IPD), who investigated this case, responded to the scene and located the victim after receiving calls of shots being fired. Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Agosta is accused of calling a friend, who did not know about the murder, and asking the friend to pick him up. Agosta is accused of going to his friend’s Mission Viejo home, where he was arrested by IPD at 4:30 p.m.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Steve McGreevy of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
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