Man, 21, Held in Slaying of Mother’s Live-In Boyfriend at Their Home

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting his mother’s live-in boyfriend, who had told the son to move out, investigators said Tuesday.

Investigators said suspect Rogelio “Roger” Gonzalez was fighting with Gustavo Menendez, 44, at 8:30 p.m. Monday and that Gonzalez pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot Menendez twice in the back.

Sgt. Mike Handfield said officers were summoned to a house in the 12900 block of 8th Street where they found Menendez lying in a bedroom and took him to UCI Medical Center in Orange. Menendez, a meat cutter at an area Costco store, died shortly afterward, police said.

Police arrested Gonzalez at the scene on suspicion of murder.

Investigators said Menendez had been living at the house with Gonzalez’s mother for about three years, and that Gonzalez recently moved in after a break-up with a girlfriend.

“There was some tension as far as the suspect not doing his share” of housework, Handfield said. “It appeared that there was an argument and the mother had left the house to cool off about 30 minutes before the shooting. The victim was asking Gonzalez to leave.”

Police said at least one relative saw the shooting.

Two other children, ages 11 and 15, were in the living room and were not injured, Handfield said.

Gonzalez is being held at the Orange County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, Handfield said. He was scheduled to be arraigned today in Municipal Court in Westminster, police said.