Homicide investigation and Arrests – Hollywood Division

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Saturday, October 28, 2000

"Homicide investigation and Arrests"

Hollywood – On October 28, 2000, at approximately 3:15 AM, Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 1100 block of Tamarind Avenue. When the officers arrived, they saw a female Hispanic slumped in the driver’s seat of a vehicle that was double-parked in the street. She was the apparent victim of a gunshot. Los Angeles County Fire Department Personnel pronounced her dead at the scene.

The investigation revealed that the victim and two female companions were talking in her vehicle when they were confronted by an armed suspect. The suspect demanded the victims’ property. During the robbery, the suspect fired one shot for no apparent reason, striking the victim in the head. The suspect took property from one of the other females in the vehicle, and fled in a vehicle driven by a female accomplice. The two surviving victims, although severely traumatized by the incident, escaped without injury.

The decedent in this case has been identified as Wendy Anne Soltero, 22 years of age, a resident of Dallas, Texas, and a student at a local college.

On October 28, 2000, at approximately 3:40 AM, Los Angeles Police Department Rampart officers observed a robbery in progress and arrested two individuals. Their investigation revealed evidence linking the two suspects arrested to the Hollywood murder/robbery.

The suspects have been identified as Araceli Gonzales, a female Hispanic, 19 years of age, a resident of Compton, and Demetrio Cabrera, a male Hispanic, 31 years of age, a resident of Los Angeles. Both suspects have been booked for the murder of Ms. Soltero, and are being held with no bail. Detectives are currently following leads possibly connecting the two to a series of robberies that same night.

Hollywood Homicide detectives are conducting the investigation.

This Press Release was prepared by Officer Eduardo Funes, Media Relations Section, 213 485-3586.

For Release 5:00 pm PDT
October 28, 2000