Lake Elsinore Teen Denies Murder Charge Following Shooting

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A 19-year-old Lake Elsinore resident accused of gunning down a 21-year-old man in an attack near the lake pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a murder charge.

Noah Arath Buenrostro is also facing sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations stemming from the slaying of Gustavo Morales, also of Lake Elsinore.

He was arraigned before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Stephen Gallon, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Dec. 2 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

The defendant is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the nearby Byrd Detention Center.

According to the sheriff's department, the shooting happened about 10 p.m. on Oct. 14 in the 500 block of Quail Drive, near Joy Street, less than a quarter mile north of the lake.

Deputies were called to the location to investigate reports of a man down and discovered Morales dead at the scene, sheriff's Sgt. Steve Brosche said. He said gang task force and Central Homicide Unit investigators soon identified Buenrostro as the alleged assailant, though no other details were disclosed, including a verifiable motive.

The defendant was summoned to the sheriff's Lake Elsinore station, and following an interview with detectives, he was taken into custody without incident the next day.

Buenrostro has no documented prior felony convictions.