Two Men Charged in On-Ramp Killing

Two men were charged Tuesday with murder and attempted robbery in the June 20 death of a woman who was shot on a San Diego freeway ramp while her family was in the car, authorities said.

San Diego police sent a report to the county district attorney’s office Tuesday morning, asking the district attorney to file charges against Brian Ray Fletcher, 22, and Terrance Kent Moord, 27, both of East San Diego, Lt. Dan Berglund said.

Charges were filed Tuesday afternoon, and both men will be arraigned today in Municipal Court, Deputy Dist. Atty. Rupert A. Linley said.

In addition to the charges of murder and attempted robbery, Fletcher is being charged with negligent discharge of a firearm, and Moord is being charged with one count of robbery in a separate incident June 23, Linley said. Moord is also being charged with driving a stolen vehicle June 26.

According to Linley, the pair could receive a maximum sentence of life without parole or the death penalty if the district attorney decides to file for special circumstances after the preliminary hearing.

Maria Guadalupe Estrada, 33, was returning home June 20 from a birthday party to her home in the 900 block of 41st Street when she was flagged down by two men standing near a taxi that partly blocked the Market Street ramp to southbound Interstate 15, Berglund said.

The men asked her for jumper cables or gas money, Berglund said.

When she repeatedly told them she didn’t have any jumper cables, one of the men began breaking the rear window of her car, Berglund said.

Estrada tried to drive away and was shot in the face by the second man at close range, Berglund said. With her mother, her three young children and her 13-year-old brother in the car, Estrada was able to drive about half a mile to the Imperial Avenue exit off I-15.

She collapsed and died on Tompkins Street near Francis Street, Berglund said.

The taxi had been abandoned on the shoulder of the road after it stalled, Berglund said. The taxi driver had gone to call for help and did not return until after the police came, he said.

Although the taxi driver was gone, the two men broke into the cab and pushed it onto the on-ramp so that it blocked traffic, Berglund said.

Fletcher was arrested June 23 on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm, Berglund said.

Moord was arrested June 26 on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle, Berglund said.

Saying that he did not want to jeopardize the case, Berglund would not reveal how police were able to identify the pair. He also declined to discuss any evidence police have.

Both men are being held without bail in County Jail downtown because they had violated parole, Berglund said. He said he did not know what they had been convicted of before.