Victim in Neighborhood Shooting Identified

A man who police say was shot to death in his yard by a neighbor was identified Thursday as 35-year-old George Marquez Ramos, who reportedly had been arguing with the suspected gunman over a traffic-related incident.

The suspected gunman and two relatives of the slain man also were injured Wednesday night but are expected to survive, authorities said.

Investigators said Ramos and the neighbor, who lives down the block, had been at odds since Aug. 18, when an argument erupted at a nearby gas station.

‘That’s when the confrontation began, and it continued from that point on and finally came to a head,” Police Sgt. Bob Clark said.

Police arrested Nicholas Esteban, 48, on suspicion of murder. He was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange with head injuries.

Investigators said the shooting occurred about 7:30 p.m. when the two men were arguing in front of Ramos’ home in the 2000 block of South Birch Street.

Police allege Esteban pulled out a .38-caliber pistol from his waistband and fired 13 shots. Ramos was struck in the head, upper chest and arm and died at the scene.

Ramos’ 66-year-old mother, Dolores Ramos, and brother, Rene Marcus Ramos, also were wounded and taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana, where they were in stable condition.

Police said Esteban emptied his weapon and dropped it on the ground when another man near the scene tackled him. The man, whom police have not identified, took the empty gun and beat the suspect with it, Clark said.

“Ultimately, that person left and the suspect got up and left,” Clark said.

Police officers later found Esteban “hiding behind a shed in the backyard of his own home,” Clark said.