Mead Valley Murder
RIVERSIDE (CNS) – A convicted felon accused in the death of a 29-year- old man during a carjacking in Mead Valley is slated to be arraigned next month on murder and other charges.
Juan Cristoval Ambriz Barra, 26, of Perris allegedly killed Jose Eduardo Del Real, also of Perris, last week.
Along with murder, Barra is charged with kidnapping, being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm and a special circumstance allegation of killing in the course of a carjacking.
His co-defendant, 31-year-old Daniel Santos Ambriz, was out of custody, whereabouts evidently unknown.
Ambriz is charged identically to Barra, with the exception of the kidnapping count. Court and jail records show he was behind bars in July for alleged probation violations but was released prior to the alleged slaying of Del Real.
Riverside County sheriff’s officials did not disclose whether they had confirmed where he may be, or whether his arrest was imminent.
Barra made his initial court appearance Wednesday before Superior Court Judge Walter Kubelun, who appointed him a public defender and scheduled his arraignment for Sept. 6 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
The defendant is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
He was already in custody for alleged parole violations when detectives formally booked him for the alleged murder of Del Real.
The victim was gunned down shortly after 8 a.m. on Aug. 12 near the intersection of Cajalco Road and Haines Street, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Rafael Victorio.
He said that patrol deputies were called to the location to investigate reports of a wounded man and found good Samaritans performing CPR on Del Real.
Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Victorio said further investigation revealed Del Real “was related to a call for service” involving a car theft minutes earlier in the 19000 block of Summerwind Trail, near Dawes Street, just under a mile from where he was found shot.
Court records allege that Barra and Ambriz were attempting to carjack another man, Heriberto Osuna, at the Summerwind residence when Del Real was fatally wounded.
The circumstances were not specified, including whether the defendants and victims were all acquainted.
Court documents show that Barra has prior convictions for armed robbery and carrying a concealed weapon. Ambriz has priors for receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.
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