2 More Suspects Arrested In La Cresta Killing

MURRIETA, CA — Two additional suspects sought in last month's fatal La Cresta shooting were arrested, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced over the weekend.

Murrieta resident Enrique Rojas Jr., 37, was taken into custody by deputies early Friday morning in front of his Poppy Lane home. Richard Charlie Smith, 23, of Hemet was nabbed later that day during a traffic stop at Stetson Avenue and State Street in his city of residence, the department announced Sunday.

Rojas and Smith were booked into county jail on suspicion of murder in the Feb. 26 slaying of Andrew Cisneros, 35, of La Cresta, who died after being shot several times at his home — a single-story, 5-acre estate in the 38100 block of Via Majorca.

The two arrests follow the March 5 arrest of Jose Daniel Aguilar, 29, of Orange who is also accused in the killing. Aguilar was arrested in Moreno Valley by Riverside County homicide detectives, according to jail records. The sheriff's department said he was picked up during a traffic stop; the arrest location was Eucalyptus Avenue and Heacock Street.

Aguilar was wanted on an out-of-county warrant, while Smith has pending drug and robbery charges against him in separate Riverside County cases.

According to court records, Aguilar is slated to be arraigned March 29 on one count each of first-degree murder, robbery and burglary. He is also facing sentencing enhancements of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, committing murder in the commission of a burglary and committing murder in the commission of a robbery.

Charges were expected to be formally filed this week against Rojas and Smith. Rojas was being held on $1 million bail at Riverside's Robert Presley Detention Center; no bail was set for Aguilar or Smith.

Aguilar was being held Robert Presley Detention Center and Smith at Southwest Detention Center, according to jail records.

Details about whether the victim knew the three men were not disclosed, nor was a motive for the killing.

The victim was found after deputies from the Lake Elsinore Station were dispatched at 6:22 p.m. Feb. 26 to a report of the shooting at the Via Majorca home. La Cresta is an unincorporated residential community located just west of Murrieta city limits.

More than 10 sheriff's department vehicles and at least one Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department truck responded, sirens and lights blaring.

It's not clear who called for help.

Deputies attempted life-saving measures on Cisneros until paramedics arrived, but he died at the scene, according to the sheriff's department.

A sheriff's department helicopter was summoned in an effort to help track down the suspects. Despite several hours of searching, no arrests were made the night of the killing.

It's not clear what led investigators to any of the suspects.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is asked to call Investigator Rodriguez at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station at 951-245-3300, or Investigator G. Gonzalez with the Central Homicide Unit at 951-955-2777. Tips can also be submitted using the sheriff's Homicide Tipline online form.

Sunday's fatal shooting in the residential enclave follows a Dec. 26, 2020, gunbattle at a La Cresta home that left two men dead. Read more here.