An ex-con was charged Thursday with shooting a man and setting fire to his remains in a car abandoned on the south end of Perris.
Mario Salvador Aleja Renteria, 29, was arrested Monday within hours of allegedly killing the victim, whom coroner’s officials have only been able to identify as “Pollo,” and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
He’s scheduled to make his initial court appearance Thursday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice on charges of murder and igniting a fire to conceal evidence, with a sentence-enhancing gun use allegation.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Ben Ramirez, Renteria was identified as the alleged perpetrator shortly after detectives initiated an investigation into the death of the victim, whose body had been left in a vehicle set alight near the intersection of Monolith Trail and Monument Parkway.
County firefighters discovered the smoldering remains after extinguishing the blaze about 5:50 p.m. Monday, and Ramirez said that before detectives could begin processing evidence, they received reports of an assault in the 21000 block of Magnolia Avenue in Lakeland Village involving an individual possibly connected to the fire.
According to the sergeant, deputies went to the location and, with the help of a sheriff’s helicopter crew, tracked down Renteria driving eastbound.
He was stopped by patrolmen on Ethanac Road in Menifee and detained without any trouble. The person whom he was allegedly assaulting was not identified.
Ramirez said there were “several crime scenes,” and after collecting evidence at each one and questioning Renteria, the probationer was jailed.
A possible motive for the homicide was not disclosed.
According to court records, Renteria has prior convictions for attempted carjacking, robbery and domestic abuse.
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