Suspect Identified in Sylmar Boy’s Murder

What:
News Conference to Announce the Identity of the Suspect Wanted for Murdering a 15-year-old Sylmar Boy

When:
Thursday, June 30, 2005, 3:00 p.m.

Where:
Mission Area Police Station
11121 North Sepulveda Boulevard
Mission Hills

Who:
Captain Kirk Albanese, Mission Area Commanding Officer
Members of the victim’s family

Visuals:
Portrait of Victim, Ramiro Guardado
Photograph of Suspect, Manuel Virgen

Why:
On Wednesday, June 29, 2005, around 7:30 p.m., community members reported a wounded man lying in the driveway of a Sylmar home.
During the investigation, Mission Area Homicide Detectives found that a man sitting in a parked car began arguing with 15-year-old Ramiro Guardado who was riding a bicycle. After an exchange of words, the occupant of the vehicle shot the victim one time in the upper body. Ramiro Guardado staggered a short distance, collapsed at a residential driveway in the 12600 block of Bradley Avenue, and died due to the fatal gunshot wound.

The suspect wanted for the murder has been identified as 23-year-old Manuel Virgen. He is described as a male Hispanic, 5 feet 9 inches, 165 pounds, black close-cropped hair with brown eyes. Virgen is a resident of Sylmar and has several familial connections in the same city. He also has ties to the State of Washington and Michoacan, Mexico.