4th Suspect Arrested In La Cresta Killing

MURRIETA, CA — Another suspect in last month's fatal La Cresta shooting was arrested, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced Tuesday afternoon.

Manuel Luna Rico, 37, of Perris was taken into custody at 9 p.m. Monday following a traffic stop in the area of Ellis and Cowie avenues in Perris, according to jail records. He was booked into Riverside's Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of first-degree murder and a charge of misdemeanor vandalism. Formal charges against him were pending, court records show.

The arrest is the fourth in an ongoing investigation into 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.

Over the weekend, the sheriff's department also announced the arrests of Murrieta resident Enrique Rojas Jr., 37, and Richard Charlie Smith, 23, of Hemet in connection with the killing.

Rojas was taken into custody early Friday morning in front of his Poppy Lane home. Smith was nabbed later that day during a traffic stop at Stetson Avenue and State Street in Hemet. Both were booked into county jail on suspicion of murder.

Jose Daniel Aguilar, 29, of Orange is also accused in the killing. He was arrested March 5 in Moreno Valley by Riverside County homicide detectives. 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. Rico has a misdemeanor vandalism conviction in Riverside County. Rojas has two misdemeanor DUI convictions in the county, court records show.

Aguilar, Rojas and Smith were charged with one count each of first-degree murder, robbery and burglary. All are 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. They are scheduled to be arraigned March 29.

Aguilar, Rico and Smith were being held without bail in county jail, while Rojas was being held in lieu of a $1 million bail bond.

Details about whether the victim knew the four 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.

Editor's Note: A booking photo of Rico was not available at the time of publication.