Winchester Killing: 19-Year-Olds Arrested On Suspicion Of Murder

WINCHESTER, CA — A 19-year-old man was taken into custody Monday on suspicion of joining two previously arrested alleged cohorts in the robbery and murder of a Winchester resident.

Joe Natividad Orosco of Riverside was booked into the Robert Presley Jail Monday morning on suspicion of murder and robbery. He's being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Earlier this month, Orosco's two alleged accomplices, Omar Arango and Ricky Martin Ortiz, both 19, were arrested and charged in the March 4 killing of 21-year-old Gustavo Hernandez.

Arango is charged with first-degree murder and a special circumstance allegation of killing in the course of a robbery. Ortiz is charged with murder, two counts of gun assault, child endangerment and the same special circumstance allegation.

Arango and Ortiz are each being held without bail — Arango at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta, and Ortiz at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning. They're slated to be arraigned on April 3 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

According to Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Ben Ramirez, Orosco was identified following an investigation that culminated in findings that a third party was allegedly involved in gunning down Hernandez as he sat in his vehicle in the 28000 block of Whitaker Street, near Grand Avenue, just northwest of Winchester.

Ramirez alleged that the defendants and the victim had a late-night encounter — it was unclear whether he knew them — at the location, during which Hernandez was shot several times with a handgun.

Witnesses called 911, and patrol deputies reached the scene within a few minutes, but the victim was already dead, and the perpetrators had fled, according to Ramirez.

The amount of money and other possessions allegedly taken from Hernandez were not disclosed.

Both Arango and Ortiz were arrested three days later in the Perris area.

None of the defendants have documented prior felony convictions in adult court in Riverside County.