A 45-year-old Long Beach man is behind bars after the woman he had been dating was discovered shot to death inside her home, according to police.
Authorities identified the suspect as Juan Antonio Cruz. The victim, 48-year-old Suzette Aparijo of Hawaiian Gardens, was found suffering from a gunshot wound early Tuesday morning.
Officers responded to a call in the 1400 block of Redondo Avenue at around 3 a.m. after reports of a shooting. When police arrived, they found Aparijo already down at the scene. Paramedics pronounced her dead on the spot, unable to save her.
Investigators say the man believed to have pulled the trigger did not stick around. Cruz allegedly fled the area before officers could reach the location, leaving detectives to piece together what happened using evidence from the scene and witness accounts.
Homicide investigators spent the following hours working the case and eventually zeroed in on Cruz as their primary suspect. By the next day, detectives tracked him down and took him into custody on suspicion of murder.
What led to the shooting is still not fully known. Investigators have confirmed that Cruz and Aparijo were romantically involved at the time, but a motive behind the deadly encounter has not been made public. Police have not said whether the two had any history of conflict or if the shooting followed an argument.
Cruz’s case is now headed to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, where prosecutors will decide whether formal charges will be filed against him.
Detectives are continuing to look into the circumstances surrounding Aparijo’s death and are asking anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be directed to Detectives Thai and Contreras at 562-570-7244.
The investigation remains active, and police have not ruled out additional details emerging as the case moves through the legal process.