Raging Love Triangle on Duquesne Shatters with a Bullet to Ex-Boyfriend’s Head

Two suspects, so far, are in custody, including the live-in current — but supposedly on his way out — boyfriend, 30-year-old Mexican-born Jorge Hernandez, being held on $1 million bail. Both he and Larry Oswaldo Menjibar, 27 years old, who was arrested last night by Culver City officers not far from his residence, have been charged with attempted murder.

Police believe Mr. Hernandez, a painter by trade, went to work on his regular shift in Beverly Hills about 6 hours after the shooting. He finished around 4 o’clock before police caught up with him and arrested him late Saturday evening at his former wife’s residence in the neighborhood of USC.

What Role Jealousy Played

Jealousy and unrequited love seem to repose at the bottom of this spectacularly played out crime. Jealousy apparently was breaking up the couple, and a former boyfriend reportedly suffered from the same love-disease.

The target of both men’s affections was identified as 40-year-old Mireya Beltran, a stay-at-home mom who lives in the 4100 block of Duquesne. Ms. Beltran told police she and Mr. Hernandez had not spoken for the last 3 days, had been feuding for the past 2 weeks and were preparing to end their relationship. At the height of the middle-of-the-night fireworks that rocked the quiet neighborhood, Ms. Beltran said she and a female friend were out at a Marina restaurant, Casa Escobar.

Coincidentally or not, she and Mr. Hernandez had met at the same nightspot 6 or 7 months before. Ms. Beltran said her new companion moved into the apartment she shares with her son shortly afterward.

One Version of Events

This is the account of her Friday evening Ms. Beltran gave to police:

A little before 8, Ms. Beltran left home, drove to a friend’s house in her SUV, returning an hour and a half later. Upon entering, she noticed that Mr. Hernandez was at home. They may have passed each other but did not speak. When she left a second time, at 10:30, he no longer was in the house. But his car was parked out front.

In the company of a different female friend, Ms. Beltran headed for the Marina, turning up for a late night out at Casa Escobar where her old boyfriend, Mr. Ramirez, who had a couple pals with him, found her. She said Mr. Ramirez may have been drunk.

The scene between them, which flared and receded, was not portraiture pretty.

Mr. Ramirez reminded her of a conversation they had a fortnight earlier. Ms. Beltran said he had told her he was going to confront Mr. Hernandez, who had moved to Los Angeles from Oaxaca. He was going to tell the current flame that she had been stepping out on him, sleeping with her old flame.

To the Death?

Clearly, Ms. Beltran said, Mr. Ramirez objected, to the death, to their relationship. He declared “he w as going to do anything” to make that happen. Reportedly, he said he did not care if he was killed in the process, if the new boyfriend was murdered or they all died.

First, Ms. Beltran said, he tried to kiss her. Switching tactics, he started to swing at her. Then he forced her to call home — on his cell phone — to try and snare Mr. Hernandez.

By this time, Mr. Ramirez, it seems, was causing such a clatter security guards at Casa Escobar approached and asked him to leave. He agreed. But on the way out, he looked back and vowed he was going to her apartment on Duquesne to track down Mr. Hernandez.

It Was Time to Go

Around 1:30 a.m., Saturday, just as action was heating up in the area of Ms. Beltran’s place, she, her female companion and the two friends who had accompanied Mr. Ramirez piled into her car. She dropped the fellows at the Venice intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Rose Avenue.

It was about 2 a.m. when the ladies arrived near — not at — Ms. Beltran’s home. They drove into a commotion because Mr. Ramirez already had been shot.

Police cars and an ambulance were on the scene. People were milling around. Suspecting her old boyfriend was somewhere around, she curved through the neighborhood’s darkened streets, hoping to espy his car. She located it on Lucerne Avenue, parked by a curb between Duquesne and Lincoln Avenue.

Checking Out the Property

But Ms. Beltran still did not exactly know Mr. Ramirez’ whereabouts. Returning home, she chose to remain in the car and sent an emissary. She dispatched her lady friend to check the premises to see if anyone was in her apartment.

Her friend found the lights on. The back door was open. But the front door was locked.

Ms. Beltran sent her companion back a second time. Directed to conduct a closer inspection this time to determine if anything was disturbed or missing, the friend said everything was order.

That was where her description broke off.

Yes and No on Firearms

Police said Ms. Beltran gave them two stories about Mr. Hernandez and handguns he possessed. First, she said he did not own any. Then she recanted.

Ms. Beltran said the firearms, a brushed chrome revolver and a small, silver semi-automatic handgun, were in her/their home for awhile. Recently, however, Mr. Hernandez removed them, she said.

Police said when Ms. Beltran dispatched her friend inside the first or second time, the woman noticed a red leather motorcycle jacket on the bed in the room of Ms. Beltran’s son. Then she knew the guns may have been returned to the apartment.

While police were interviewing Ms. Beltran, it was learned, Mr. Hernandez, who had not yet been arrested, made a number of calls to Ms. Beltran’s cellphone.

(To be continued)