HEMET: Officials announce arrest of 2, accused of deadly Nov. shooting

HEMET – City of Hemet police officials have announced the arrest of two people, accused of shooting two victims including a juvenile, killing one of them. The deadly shooting, which was highly publicized throughout Hemet and the Inland Empire, happened in the area of Acacia and S. Western Avenues in Hemet shortly before 1 a.m. (Click here to view original story.)

Officers rushed to a residence in the 200 block of S. Western Avenue after a juvenile shooting victim was found in the home’s back yard. Miguel Shannon photo

The investigation began Nov. 4, about 12:47 a.m., when Hemet police officers responded to multiple reports of shots fired in the 200 block of Palm Avenue in Hemet. Several callers reported hearing as many as five shots fired.

Officers quickly located two shooting victims and began investigating the deadly shooting.

During their investigation, officers determined 25-year-old Hemet resident Daniel Ramirez died after he was reportedly shot in the back. His lifeless body was found in a storm drain.

The other victim, a 17-year-old juvenile who was shot in the face, was found hiding in a backyard in the 200 block of S. Western Avenue by a citizen who called 911 to report finding the injured boy.

The teen was badly injured but survived the shooting. He has since fully recovered.

Daniel Ramirez was killed Nov 4. Officers have announced the arrest of two people suspected in his fatal shooting. Ramirez family photo

Since her son’s death, Ramirez’ mother, Corinna Moreno, has made it her daily mission to keep her son’s name and his shooting in the local news and at the top of social media posts across the internet.

To keep her son’s name and his murder at the front of people’s thoughts, Moreno held candle light vigils and organized and attended rallies dedicated to her son and other victims of homicide.

She joined numerous Facebook groups that provide news and information for the City of Hemet and surrounding areas and she posted regular updates and pleas for information related to her son’s killing.

Moreno also frequently spoke in front of groups and at Hemet City Council meetings, making sure to keep her son’s memory alive and the investigation into his fatal shooting a priority for investigators to solve.

Clearly, her efforts paid off.

During a thorough and exhaustive, five-month long investigation, officials from the Hemet Police Investigations Bureau developed leads and gathered evidence and information that led them to arrest two Hemet residents, identified as Manuel Olaez, 23, and Moses Olaez, 20. The two men were arrested Thursday, April 6. Hemet Police Lt. Eddie Pust announced their arrest Monday, April 10.

Both men were booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Both are being held on $1 million dollars bail.

It was not immediately known how or if the two men were related.

“A motive has not been determined,” Pust said, explaining, “This is still an active and ongoing homicide investigation. Hemet police investigators are still following up on leads and witness information.”

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Hemet Police Detective Corporal Michael Hall at (951) 765-2324. Callers can remain anonymous.

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Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.