Slain Teen's Kidnapper Targeted Her At Random: Police

LOS ANGELES, CA —A 20-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the kidnapping and murder of a 19-year-old woman in Whittier. Authorities have not publicly released a motive in the slaying, which police described as random.

Gabriel Sean Esparza of Whittier is charged with kidnapping, murdering and attempting to rape Andrea Vazquez, whose body was found in a Moreno Valley field a day after she was kidnapped at gunpoint from Penn Park in Whittier. In all, Esparza was charged with one count of murder, one count of willful, deliberate and premeditated, attempted murder; one count of kidnapping to commit rape; one count of kidnapping; one count of assault with intent to commit rape; and two counts of attempted forcible rape, and special circumstances of murder during the course of a kidnapping and murder during the course of an attempted rape.

According to police and accounts from Vazquez's family, Esparza approached Vazquez and her boyfriend shortly after midnight Sunday, at the parking stalls area of Penn Park at 13950 Penn St. Her boyfriend, told police a gunman approached them and opened fire.

"The male witness ran from the location and upon his return, discovered blood near his vehicle and his female companion was missing," police said in a statement.

Vazquez’s sister told KTLA she traced Vazquez’s phone Sunday to a field in Moreno Valley where she found more blood but no other sign of her sister or her phone. Later that day, police found Vazquez’s body in Moreno Valley in a field off Alessandro Boulevard and Merwin Street.

"At this time, it appears that Andrea Vazquez and her male companion were randomly targeted by the suspect at Penn Park," police said.

"Today was the beginning of fighting for justice for Andrea Vazquez -- a beautiful 19-year-old daughter, sister, cousin, friend, girlfriend that was murdered by the person accused today in court," said Moses Castillo, a retired Los Angeles Police Department detective who is representing the woman's family.

He noted that the victim's family met with Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman before the downtown Los Angeles court appearance and were advised that the charges included attempted rape, which he said "just ripped their hearts all over again."

"I want justice for my daughter," the victim's mother, Ana, told reporters outside the courthouse. "She just started her life. I don't think it's fair that this happened..."

The woman's sister, Edlyn, said she was "here to get justice for my sister and to be a voice for her."

The family's spokesperson said there is "no connection whatsoever between the accused killer and the victims, none whatsoever."

Castillo said he wants the public to know that Vazquez's boyfriend "is a true victim" and "is not anyone who was involved with this."

"We're just thankful that we don't have two dead homicide victims. At least one is able to tell us the story as to what happened and for that we are thankful," Castillo said.

Esparza, of Whittier, was arrested Monday afternoon at his workplace in Lakewood, according to police.

Esparza was ordered to remain jailed without bail pending his next court appearance Oct. 25, when a date will be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial.

Whittier police said they recovered a weapon believed to have been used in the crime, and Esparza's vehicle, a 2013 White Toyota Tacoma truck, was also impounded.

“Our hearts ache for the devastating loss of a young life. The heinous nature of this crime, involving the murder, kidnapping and attempted rape of an innocent young woman, shocks our community to its core,” District Attorney George Gascón said. “My office will work tirelessly to hold Gabriel Esparza accountable for his callous actions against Ms. Vasquez and her partner. In these moments of profound sorrow, I send my deepest condolences to Ms. Vasquez’s family as they cope with this painful tragedy."

A GoFundMe account was set up to help the Vazquez family with funeral expenses.

Anyone with information about the case was urged to call the police tipline at 562-567-9299.

TERRI VERMEULEN KEITH,City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.