5 Arrested in Robbery and Killing of Youth

Robbers shot a 17-year-old execution-style as he walked near the Santa Ana Zoo on Thursday night, and police arrested five suspects hours later--four as they partied in a motel parking lot, police said.

Jesse Muro, a student at Century High School, “just happened to walk on the wrong street at the wrong time near the wrong people,” said Tustin Police Lt. Mike Shanahan.

Police said that on Thursday night, three men robbed a man of his wallet at an Tustin apartment complex. The robbers crossed the street to a zoo parking lot, where a car was waiting for them.

When Muro and his friend approached on foot, the three men demanded cash and jewelry. One of the men put a gun to Muro’s head as his friend handed over some inexpensive jewelry.

“Jesse Muro did not even have a wallet to take. That’s kind of the sad thing,” Shanahan said.

One of the men shot Muro at least once in the back of the head, Shanahan said. Two women in the car picked up the killers and sped away.

Muro was rushed to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he died.

At 2 a.m., sheriff’s deputies saw four people drinking in the parking lot of a Stanton motel. While questioning them, the deputies found the first victim’s wallet. The four were arrested, and a few hours later a fifth suspect, thought to be the gunman, was arrested at his home.