Jessie Munoz, a 32-year-old Hispanic/Latino man from Los Angeles, was remembered by family as a loving son and brother who played guitar with his band and often went to the Angeles National Forest to clear his head. His mother said his last words to her were, Mommy, I love you.

In the early morning of July 22, 2023, Munoz and a friend, Sheila Santibañez, were parked at a scenic viewpoint on Angeles Crest Highway near mile marker 28.36 to watch the sunrise when assailants approached during a robbery. After the robbers took belongings and demanded the car, Munoz tried to drive away in reverse and was struck by multiple gunshots. He drove a short distance before crashing and was pronounced dead at the scene; Santibañez was physically unharmed.

The California Highway Patrol initially treated it as a collision, and the Pasadena Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit took over. Detectives identified suspects alleged to be members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) street gang and made multiple arrests in late July and August 2023; two firearms were recovered and one was later confirmed to be the murder weapon.

Did anyone who knew Jessie or who spent time at the Angeles Crest scenic overlooks see anything that night or have information that could help?