SAN PEDRO, Calif.—Two men were in custody Feb. 8 and facing charges of murder in connection with the death of a Summer Night Lights program volunteer who was shot last summer following an event at the Wilmington Recreation Center.
Jose Quezada, 46, of Carson, was fatally shot about 10 p.m. July 27, 2023, after a Summer Night Lights event at the recreation center in the 300 block of North Neptune Avenue, where he was a volunteer, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
The LAPD announced the arrests of the suspects at a news conference Thursday morning at the LAPD Harbor Area Community Police Station in San Pedro.
According to the LAPD, the investigation led homicide detectives to Sergio Esteban, 28, of San Pedro, who was arrested on Dec. 6, 2023, and booked on suspicion of murder.
On Dec. 8, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Mr. Esteban for the murder of Quezada, police said. Mr. Esteban was being held on $2 million bail.
“Investigators also identified Estevan Hernandez, a 27-year old resident of San Pedro, as the second suspect responsible for the shooting of Quezada,” the LAPD said in a statement.
On Dec. 18, the District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Mr. Hernandez for the murder of Quezada, police said.
Mr. Hernandez was not in police custody, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, the LAPD reported.
“With assistance from the LAPD-FBI Fugitive task force, Hernandez was located in Mexico and arrested on January 31, 2024, by Mexican authorities,” police said.
Mr. Hernandez was turned over to the LAPD-FBI Fugitive Task Force on Feb. 1, and he was brought back to Los Angeles, where he was booked on suspicion of murder, police said. Mr. Hernandez was being held on $3 million bail.
Mr. Quezada was killed as he was leaving the event at the recreation center, according to police. The suspects at the time were described only as males wearing dark clothing. LAPD Capt. Keith Green told reporters after the shooting that Mr. Quezada was volunteering as a cook at the event.
A motive for the shooting was not known, police said at the time.
The Summer Night Lights events operate in more than 40 Los Angeles area parks and recreation centers to promote anti-gang violence and turn them into safe havens for families.
After the shooting, Los Angeles City Councilman Tim McOsker condemned the violence that occurred at an event designed to make communities safer.
“The victim, a volunteer at the event, was helping barbecue for the families attending,” Mr. McKosker said. “Summer Night Lights works to build trust and offer fun, positive programming to communities impacted by violence by making the public spaces safe and full of our neighbors. Horrific acts like this attempt to break that safety and community apart but we won’t let it. Please join me in praying for the victim and his family and friends.”
Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement after the shooting, saying, “Last night, a dedicated Wilmington community member and someone who has volunteered with Summer Night Lights to uplift his community was killed in a horrific act of violence. This community leader lost his life to the very type of violence he was working so hard to prevent. I join his loved ones in grieving his loss.”
Ms. Bass described Mr. Quezada as an “active community volunteer, coach, father, husband.”
“This incident is a tragic reminder that we must fight even harder to ensure that our communities have the tools that they need to stop this senseless violence,” she said.
