Suspect held in fatal shooting

Authorities arrested a suspect Wednesday morning in connection with the fatal shooting of an El Monte woman, authorities said.

Peter Sanchez, 38, of El Monte was arrested on suspicion of murder and was being held on $1-million bail.

Elaine Garza, 41, was shot about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 12000 block of Valley Boulevard, between Mountain View Road and Durfee Avenue, said Deputy Ed Hernandez, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. El Monte police responded to the scene of the shooting, where witnesses told them the suspect had fled to a nearby motel, Hernandez said. At the motel, investigators found a man in possession of a handgun of the same caliber used in the shooting and detained him, Hernandez said. --

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske