Julio Cesar Ortega, 51, was shot and killed on December 3, 2022, at the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Spring Street in Highgrove, California. Ortega, who was originally from Jurupa Valley, died after a confrontation that escalated into gunfire.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department identified 34-year-old Arnulfo Prado Jr. of Riverside as the suspect. Prado was located after a short pursuit in San Jacinto; he attempted to flee but ultimately surrendered. Investigators say an unspecified dispute between Prado and Ortega led Prado to pull out a handgun and shoot Ortega. The motive and the precise nature of their relationship have not been disclosed.

Prado was arrested and charged with murder, evading arrest, and enhancements alleging use of a firearm and causing great bodily injury; he was arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice and held in lieu of $3 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. Does anyone have information about Ortega’s last known activities or the dispute that led to the shooting?