Los Angeles Man Charged in Murder and Child Abduction Case

A man from Los Angeles faces serious charges of murder and child abuse after allegedly killing his girlfriend and fleeing to Mexico with their 5-year-old daughter, authorities reported.

Ruben Fregoso, 40, has been charged with murdering his 36-year-old girlfriend, Marisol Garcia.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the suspect’s full surname is Fregoso. Prosecutors claim he also kidnapped their young daughter, Dareza, following the alleged murder.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office stated that Fregoso is accused of killing Garcia and then escaping to Mexico with the child, who is reportedly a family member.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman remarked, “The murder of a mother and the kidnapping of a young child is the type of violence that shocks an entire community. We cannot imagine the grief and fear faced by an innocent child who was allegedly snatched after her mother was murdered. The defendant will now have his day in court.”

Surveillance footage captured Fregoso on Sunday near a parking lot in San Isidro. In the footage, he is seen holding hands with a 5-year-old girl while carrying a suitcase.

Authorities later located his 2018 Land Rover in a parking lot close to the San Ysidro entry point, but both he and the child were absent from the scene.

The pair was last spotted near their home in South Los Angeles on that same morning, leading to a search operation and an Amber Alert for the missing girl.

Subsequently, police conducted a welfare check at the residence where Garcia was discovered dead on Monday.

Despite ongoing investigations, officials believe Fregoso and the child may still be in Mexico, although his exact location remains unclear.

A vigil took place in West Adams on Wednesday evening, where family and community members mourned Garcia’s untimely death and called for Dareza’s safe return.

Neighbors fondly remembered the young girl as a bright presence in the area. One neighbor, Carrie Coleman, described her as “very sweet and very young.”

If convicted, Fregoso could face a sentence of 25 years in state prison.