Traffic Stop Leads to Break in Cold Case Murder

A man wanted on a warrant for a 1990 murder in Hollywood was arrested today by the California Highway Patrol during a traffic stop in Monterey County.

Agustin Alejo, 42, of Castroville, was taken into custody about 1:35 a.m. near Main Street and Harden Parkway in Salinas, said CHP spokesman Oscar Loza of the Monterey Area office. He was considered one of the LAPD’s most wanted.

Alejo was being held without bail at the Monterey County jail facility pending his extradition to Los Angeles County, Loza said.

Alejo was originally arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, but officers soon learned that he was wanted on a murder warrant out of Los Angeles, Loza said.

“While at the jail facility, it was discovered that Alejo had several (aliases), including one by the name of Byron Contreras,” Loza said. “It was discovered that he was wanted by the Los Angeles Police Department for a murder that occurred in 1990.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, Contreras was a 16-year-old member of a gang known as the Magician’s Club.

The Los Angeles Times reports: “According to police, he and four other gang members came upon two people from a rival gang who were riding their bicycles at Oxford Avenue and Clinton Street in Hollywood. While inside a car, Contreras’ group flashed gang signs and fired shots. When one of the two rival gang members fell to the ground, Contreras walked up to the victim and fired additional shots, police said.”

City News Service and Patch staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.