Fullerton College student kidnapped from Whittier park died from gunshot wound to head, prosecutor says

Man Ordered to Stand Trial for Woman Shot, Abducted From Park in Whittier

A young man who allegedly confessed to shooting a 19-year-old woman in the head at a Whittier park, kidnapping her, trying to rape her and then dumping her body in Riverside County was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on murder and other charges. Superior Court Judge George Lomeli determined that the prosecution had presented enough evidence to allow the case against Gabriel Sean Esparza, now 22, to proceed to trial following a hearing that incl…

Whittier man confessed to kidnapping, slaying Fullerton College student, detective testifies

A Whittier man told a detective that a Fullerton College student was still alive after he shot her in the head while at Penn Park in Whittier, put her in the bed of his Tacoma and drove her to Moreno Valley where he tried to rape her twice on Aug. 20, 2023. Gabriel Esparza couldn’t get an erection. He saw a work truck down the road, put 19-year-old Andrea Vazquez of Downey back in his pickup, drove to a field, pulled her out and started dragging…

Fullerton College student kidnapped from Whittier park died from gunshot wound to head, prosecutor says

Julian Gonzalez and Andrea Vazquez were sitting on the trunk of his parked Honda Accord at Penn Park in Whittier, hanging out and talking when a white pickup truck with tinted windows pulled up in front of his car. “That’s when I heard shots,” he said. Gonzalez turned around and saw 19-year-old Vazquez lying on the ground. She was bleeding above her neck, close to the face, he said. Gonzalez testified about what happened to them on Aug. 20, 2023…