More than one year after deadly Nuevo robbery, third suspect arrested during unrelated Perris robbery investigation

September 1, 2021 Trevor Montgomery

NUEVO, Calif., — Authorities have announced the arrest of a third person in connection with last year’s slaying of a San Jacinto man during a robbery at a popular Nuevo business where the victim was employed. The alleged suspect was arrested after being identified in an unrelated robbery last week of another, unspecified business in neighboring Perris.

Two men were previously arrested in connection with last year’s robbery and murder, which occurred at the Nuevo Market inside the Nuevo Village shopping center, on the 29600 block of Nuevo Rd., according to officials.

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Riverside County Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit began investigating the robbery-related murder of Abdallah Abushawish, 61, of San Jacinto, Wednesday morning, Aug. 19, 2020.

Officials quickly developed leads and gathered information related to the robbery and homicide, leading them to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s vehicle just a few hours later in Perris. The stop ultimately led to the arrest of two of the suspects involved in that morning’s robbery and Abushawish’s murder.

Although initially held on $1 million bail or bond each, the men, Isaiah Ralph Lugo, 23, of Moreno Valley, and Charles Richard Trevino, 24, of Perris, remain in custody and are being held without bail.

Isaiah Ralph Lugo, 23, of Moreno Valley, (L) and Charles Richard Trevino, 24, of Perris, (R) were arrested the day they allegedly played a part in the robbery and murder of Abdallah Abushawish, 61, of San Jacinto. RSO photos

Investigators later named Alexander Aquino, 20, of Perris, as a third suspect in Abushawish’s murder and announced they had sought and obtained a murder warrant for his arrest. Despite the warrant and ongoing search for Aquino, he had not been located as the one year anniversary of Abushawish’s murder came and went.

Deputies finally got to place handcuffs on the wanted man Thursday afternoon, Aug. 26, when they responded to reports of a robbery and assault with a deadly weapon at a different Perris market in the 22700 block of San Jacinto Ave.

That robbery and assault left the unnamed victim hospitalized with unspecified injuries, according to Ramirez.

Early in their investigation, deputies identified a vehicle and after searching the area located it parked outside a Perris residence on Mt. Shasta Street.

Members of the Perris Station’s Burglary Suppression Team and Department’s Special Enforcement Bureau began surveilling the vehicle and home where the car was parked. They eventually spotted Aquino getting into the vehicle and leaving the residential neighborhood.

When SEB members attempted to conduct a traffic stop Aquino fled on foot, but was apprehended by pursuing deputies and arrested.

During the foot chase, Aquino was seen discarding a handgun, which was later recovered.

“Additional weapons and illegal magazines” were recovered as a result of a subsequent search warrant that SEB later served at the Mt. Shasta residence Aquino was seen leaving, according to the Sergeant.

Sheriff’s officials who were investigating a Perris robbery and assault with a deadly weapon last week identified and ultimately arrested Alexander Aquino, 20, of Perris, on a warrant related to last year’s robbery and murder. RSO photo

Aquino was later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside for his murder warrant as well as an additional and unrelated juvenile arrest warrant. Online jail records indicate he remains in custody in lieu of $1 million bail or bond.

“The most recent robbery and assault with a deadly weapon investigation is continuing,” said Ramirez.

Anyone with information related to either of these investigations is encouraged to call Investigator Manjarrez with the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777.

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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.