Moreno Valley murder leads to local man’s arrest

MORENO VALLEY, Calif., — Although few details have been released, authorities have confirmed that a man was arrested after killing another man during a dispute in the victim’s Moreno Valley home late Saturday evening, July 10.

Although officials have not said how or if the men knew each other and have not described the nature of the attack, what type of weapon was used or what may have led to the fatal encounter, the alleged murderer remains in segregated, high-security housing, where his bail has been set at $1 million.

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Deputies responded to a residential neighborhood the 13000 block of Sylmar Drive, between Cottonwood and Bay avenues,  shortly after 11 p.m. after receiving reports of an assault with a deadly weapon at a home, Riverside Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit Sergeant Richard Carroll has since said of the incident and arrest.

20-year-old, Jose Hernandez was arrested for the murder of 51-year-old, Mauricio Moreno. Although officials have not said how or if the men knew each other, they were both from Moreno Valley. RSO booking photo

“Deputies arrived within minutes and located a male adult suffering from life-threatening injuries,” Carroll explained; while not providing any further details regarding the type of weapon that was used during the assault.

Deputies immediately began life-saving efforts and rendering medical aid, which they continued until emergency medical personnel arrived. The victim, since identified as 51-year-old, Mauricio Moreno, of Moreno Valley, was then transported to nearby Riverside University Medical Center, where he eventually succumbed to his unspecified injuries and passed away.

Investigators from the Moreno Valley Station and Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.

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During their subsequent investigation, officials identified the suspect as 20-year-old, Jose Hernandez, of Moreno Valley. He was reportedly detained at the residence where the incident occurred.

Based on their investigation, officials arrested Hernandez and he was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of murder. Online jail records indicate he remains in custody in lieu of $1 million bail or bond and was scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice today. 

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Investigator Brown of the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777 or Investigator Cuevas at the Moreno Valley Station at (951) 486-6700. Callers can refer to incident file number MV211910306 and can remain anonymous.



Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).

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.