THREE MEN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR SHOOTING MAN OUTSIDE OF HIS LAKE FOREST HOME

THREE MEN CHARGED WITH MURDER FOR SHOOTING MAN OUTSIDE OF HIS LAKE FOREST HOME

SANTA ANA – Three men have been charged with shooting and murdering a Lake Forest man outside of his home after a dispute over a girl. Edgar Calvillo, 19, Santa Ana, Santos Escamilla, 19, Santa Ana, and Alfredo Cruz, 21, Aliso Viejo, are each charged with one felony count of murder. Calvillo faces sentencing enhancements for murder by drive-by shooting and the personal discharge of a firearm causing death. If convicted, Calvillo faces a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole and Escamilla and Cruz face 25 years to life in prison. Calvillo is being held without bail and Escamilla and Cruz are being held on $1 million. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned April 11, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

In the evening of March 20, 2008, Calvillo, Escamilla, and Cruz are accused of driving to the Lake Forest home of Luis Rivera and parking outside of the house to wait for the victim. Calvillo is accused of bringing a firearm with him in the car. The defendants are accused of waiting to confront Rivera because the victim had told people in the neighborhood that Calvillo, Escamilla, and Cruz had vandalized his car a week earlier over a dispute about a girl.  When Rivera arrived at his house, the three defendants are accused of getting out of their car and approaching the victim. Calvillo is accused of pointing the firearm at the victim as Escamilla punched him. A neighbor came out of his home and tried to diffuse the situation, and the three defendants are accused of getting back in their car to leave.

As the defendants began to drive away, Calvillo is accused of pointing the firearm out of the car window and shooting several times at the victim. Rivera was hit once and killed.  

Senior Deputy District Attorney Ebrahim Baytieh of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.  

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