Menifee Man Charged With Murder In Aunt's Death: COURT

MENIFEE, CA — A 31-year-old man accused of killing his aunt at her Menifee home was charged Wednesday with murder and other offenses.

Vicente Antonio Ortiz of Menifee was arrested Friday night following a Menifee Police Department investigation in the 27000 block of Adams Avenue, near Watson Road.

Along with murder, Ortiz is charged with a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. Misdemeanor charges of brandishing a weapon and resisting arrest were added to the criminal complaint, stemming from an unrelated incident that occurred in December.

The defendant, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

According to Menifee police Lt. Paul Barbieri, shortly after 6 p.m. Friday, patrol officers were sent to the residence of 60-year-old Dixie Ortiz to investigate reports she had fallen and was hurt.

When they reached the location, the officers found the victim "lying unresponsive on the floor with blood on her face," Barbieri said.

Paramedics arrived moments later and pronounced her dead at the scene.

Homicide detectives were summoned and took over the investigation, confirming the victim had been stabbed one time, according to the lieutenant.

Detectives identified Vicente Ortiz as the alleged perpetrator and took him into custody without incident at the property.

A possible motive wasn't disclosed.

Ortiz has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County. No details were available regarding the misdemeanor allegations from December.