Suspect pleads not guilty in killing of Downey teen

Andrea Vazquez

WHITTIER — A 20-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and other charges stemming from the kidnapping and death of a young Downey woman who was attacked at Penn Park in Whittier and whose body was found a day later in Riverside County.

Gabriel Sean Esparza of Whittier is charged with one count each of murder, kidnapping to commit another crime, kidnapping and assault with intent to commit a felony, and two counts of attempted forcible rape -- all involving Andrea Vazquez, along with an attempted murder charge involving the 19-year-old woman’s boyfriend.

The murder charges include the special circumstance allegations of murder during the commission of a kidnapping and murder during the commission of an attempted rape, which could make him eligible for a potential life prison sentence without the possibility of parole.

All seven charges include an allegation that Esparza personally used a rifle.

“Today was the beginning of fighting for justice for Andrea Vazquez -- a beautiful 19-year-old daughter, sister, cousin, friend, girlfriend that was murdered by the person accused today in court,” said Moses Castillo, a retired Los Angeles Police Department detective who is representing the woman’s family.

He noted that the victim’s family met with Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman before the downtown Los Angeles court appearance and were advised that the charges included attempted rape, which he said “just ripped their hearts all over again.”

“I want justice for my daughter,” the victim’s mother, Ana, told reporters outside the courthouse. “She just started her life. I don’t think it’s fair that this happened...”

The woman’s sister, Edlyn, said she was “here to get justice for my sister and to be a voice for her.”

The family’s spokesperson said there is “no connection whatsoever between the accused killer and the victims, none whatsoever.”

Castillo said he wants the public to know that Vazquez’s boyfriend “is a true victim” and “is not anyone who was involved with this.”

“We’re just thankful that we don’t have two dead homicide victims. At least one is able to tell us the story as to what happened and for that we are thankful,” Castillo said.

Superior Court Judge Kimberley Baker Guillemet ordered Esparza to remain jailed without bail pending his next court appearance Oct. 25, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial.

Esparza was arrested Monday afternoon at his workplace in Lakewood, the Whittier Police Department said Tuesday.

The 19-year-old woman’s remains were found late Monday night in Moreno Valley.

Whittier police said they recovered a weapon believed to have been used in the crime, and Esparza’s vehicle, a 2013 White Toyota Tacoma truck, was also impounded.

According to police, the shooting occurred early Sunday morning, shortly after midnight, at the parking stalls area of Penn Park at 13950 Penn St.

“An adult male witness reported that while at the park with an adult female companion, an armed suspect approached their vehicle and fired a weapon in their direction,” police said in a statement.

“The male witness ran from the location and upon his return, discovered blood near his vehicle and his female companion was missing,” police said.

On Monday, police sought the public’s help to find Vazquez and then announced the arrest Tuesday afternoon.

“Throughout the investigation, an ongoing search for Andrea Vazquez took place in large open land areas of Moreno Valley,” police said.

“At 11:50 p.m. on Aug. 21, 2023, detectives located the body of Andrea Vazquez in a vegetation field off Alessandro Boulevard and Merwin Street in Moreno Valley,” police added. “At this time, it appears that Andrea Vazquez and her male companion were randomly targeted by the suspect at Penn Park.”

Vazquez attended Fullerton College and was a fashion design student as well as an employee at a shopping mall in Cerritos.

The Downey Police Department assisted with the investigation, along with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and La Habra Police Department.

Anyone with information about the case was urged to call the police tipline at 562-567-9299.