PERRIS: “Years-long” neighbor dispute leads to fatal shooting, man’s arrest

PERRIS, Calif., — A man who officials say fatally gunned down his neighbor inside the victim’s own garage was later stopped and arrested while driving away from the deadly shooting, officials have confirmed. According to family members, witnesses, and area residents, the deadly confrontation was related to an ongoing neighbor dispute. The dispute and lingering hostilities have been occurring between the two men and their families for “at least the last two years”, according to one family member of the alleged shooter.

The fatal shooting happened just after noon, May 4, on the 1400 block of Sweet Bay Dr. The home where the shooting happened sits directly southeast of the intersection of Sweet Bay Dr. and Alberhill St., northeast of the intersection of E. Nuevo and Evans Roads, in Perris.

Deputies eventually located and arrested Alexander Aguayo, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Wallace Clear explained in a written press release after the deadly incident. He was later booked into Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of murder, carrying a loaded firearm in public, possession of an assault weapon, and other charges.

Deputies assigned to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Perris Police Station and other emergency first responders raced to the neighborhood after Sheriff’s emergency dispatchers began receiving frantic 911 calls from area residents reporting an “assault with a deadly weapon at a residence,” according to Wallace.

Patrol deputies assigned to both the City of Perris as well as the unincorporated communities surrounding the city responded to the reported shooting, “arriving within minutes” of the dispatched call, according to Wallace.

“Officers were directed by neighbors to an adult male lying on the floor of his open garage,” Wallace explained. The victim – later identified as 37-year-old, Raul Carbajal – reportedly suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel.

Deputies quickly established a crime scene and yellow crime scene tape was soon spread across the “T” intersection of Sweet Bay Dr. and Alberhill St., as well as around the home where the shooting occurred. While the intersection and roadways were closed throughout the remainder of the morning and into the afternoon, deputies directed motorists to other area streets away from the home where the deadly shooting was being investigated.

As the homicide investigation was getting underway, witnesses told deputies that Carbajal was fatally shot by one of his neighbors, later identified as Aguayo. According to the witnesses, after the shooting the alleged suspect immediately fled the area in his vehicle. Witnesses were able to describe the vehicle to investigating deputies.

Officials not needed at the scene of the homicide investigation, immediately fanned out throughout the city and eventually spotted Aguayo’s vehicle.

Every available City and County deputy converged on the vehicle and once officials had enough patrol vehicles behind the alleged suspect’s car, they conducted a “high-risk,” felony traffic stop.

Deputies armed with handguns, rifles, and shotguns – as well as other, “less-lethal” options – took up protected positions behind their vehicles’ open doors and ordered Aguayo to exit his vehicle. The man was compliant and was subsequently detained without incident, according to witnesses. Jail records indicated Aguayo was taken into custody in the area of Dunlap Dr. and Citrus Ave., about one-half mile from the scene of the deadly shooting.

According to witnesses, deputies located and recovered a rifle when they detained and arrested Aguayo. Although officials have not described the type of weapon they seized, or made any comment regarding the weapon reportedly used in the shooting; Aguayo’s booking information indicated he was in possession of an “assault rifle” when he was arrested.

“Based on the circumstances, investigators from the Perris Police Department and the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to the scene and assumed the investigation,” explained Wallace. Members of the Sheriff’s Forensic Services Bureau responded to assist with the investigation.

Investigators, deputies and other officials were soon seen going door-to-door throughout the day and into the evening. Officials were searching anyone who might have witnessed the incident or who could shed light on the reported ongoing dispute between the two neighbors.

While sheriff’s personnel and other officials were seen searching the garage, property, and surrounding area for potential evidence, forensic technicians could be seen documenting, photographing and collecting various items of potential evidence in the garage and on the property.

Through the open garage door, numerous yellow evidence markers could be seen near expended shell casings and other potential evidence, which were scattered just inside the garage around and under an SUV parked inside the garage.

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials were summoned and responded to the scene to assist with the investigation and eventually took custody of the victim’s body.

Area residents were observed watching the crime scene investigation unfold around them. Some stood alone, while others gathered in small groups discussing the shooting and the ongoing dispute that led to one neighbor fatally shooting another.

Nini Johnson, who claimed to be a family member of the man accused in the fatal shooting and laid the blame for the deadly incident on the Perris Police Department saying, “Had the police done something years ago it wouldn’t have gotten this far out of control.”

Johnson later angrily explained on a Moreno Valley Matters post, “That POS wasn’t a victim, he harassed and attacked my family for years.”

“When someone attacks you and your family for years one day you snap,” Johnson tried to explain.

“Was death really required to settle such a dispute?” Moreno Valley resident, Jeanette Martinez asked the alleged shooter’s family member.

Ann Parker, also of Moreno Valley, agreed with Johnson, writing, “So tragic – yet another life lost and another failure of our justice system who often wait until it’s too late to step in.”

Another area resident, Frank Barragan, chimed in with his opinion, commenting on Johnson’s comments, “Everyone has a choice. If you are not in fear of your life, de-escalate the situation.”

“Calm yourself down,” Barragan continued, “and think about the consequences of your actions.”

Online jail records indicated Aguayo remains in custody, held on $2 million bail, and is scheduled to be arraigned at Riverside’s Hall Of Justice, May 9.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation or who witnessled the deadly shooting is encouraged to contact Investigator Wortman at the Sheriff’s Perris Station, at (951) 210-1000, or Investigator Trudeau, at the Central Homicide Unit, at (951) 955-2777. Callers can refer to incident file number PE181240050 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.

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Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS), which act as stringer-news providers for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

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, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.