Authorities release details in case of Pomona man linked to three killings

A Pomona man charged in connection with a September gang killing and linked to two additional killings is expected to be arraigned on murder charges this morning.
Robert Louis Caballero, 32, had been charged Oct. 30 in connection to the Sept. 29 shooting death of Armando Vidana, 25, of Pomona, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
In the hours after Caballero was arrested Saturday by Pomona police, investigators learned the locations of two additional victims whose killings are believed to be tied to Caballero, said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
"We do believe they're related," Whitmore said.
Authorities identified the two additional victims as El Monte native David Arthur Padilla Jr., 29, whose body was found under a Chino freeway overpass, and 32-year-old Lorraine Minjarez of Covina. Minjarez's body was buried along Mt. Baldy Road in the San Gabriel Mountains.
Multiple police sources declined to specify how authorities learned of the two additional victims.
Vidana was shot multiple times after 3 a.m. Sept. 29 in the 600 block of Illinois Street and later died at a local hospital.
Investigators linked Caballero to the shooting after witnesses told police that prior to Vidana's death, Caballero told people he was going to kill him, Deputy District Attorney Bjorn Dodd said.Caballero and Vidana were members of rival gangs, and Caballero's motive in the killing was related to the gang rivalry, Dodd said.
Three days after the killing, on Oct. 2, police located Caballero and his girlfriend, 20-year-old Jessica Renee Prendiz of Pomona, Dodd said.
Caballero and Prendiz ran from police, and as they fled Prendiz discarded the weapon allegedly used to kill Vidana, Dodd said.
Prendiz was later captured and has been charged with an accessory to murder after the fact. She remains jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail and is next due in Pomona Superior Court on Nov. 24.
At about 1 a.m. Saturday, Pomona police attempted to stop a car for a routine traffic violation in the area of Holt Avenue and Reservoir Street, according to a police news release.
The driver, who was Caballero, led officers on a brief pursuit into Montclair. His silver Dodge Charger crashed into a light pole at Pradera Avenue and Granada Street. He attempted to flee on foot before he was arrested, police said.


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