Menifee man faces murder charge after local shooting

Story updated with details about charges, court date for the suspect and name of the deceased:

By Doug Spoon, Editor

A Menifee man faces a murder charge following a fatal shooting at a residence in the city early Saturday morning, police said.

Officers from the Menifee Police Department responded at 2:15 a.m. to a residence in the 26200 block of Bluebell Street in the Sun City community in Menifee. The caller to police stated that her boyfriend had just shot her friend inside the house, and that he was armed with a firearm, according to a Menifee PD news release.

The reporting party met responding officers outside the house and said the suspect was still inside the house with the victim and small child. The suspect refused officers’ demands that he exit the house. At one point, he was seen holding a firearm. Forming a perimeter around the area, Menifee PD requested backup from the Murrieta/Hemet PD SWAT team. A K9 unit was also summoned from the Sheriff’s Department, according to Menifee Police Cpt. David Gutierrez.

Upon arrival of the SWAT and K9 teams, the suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident. He was identified as Jeremy Casados, 46. Casados faces a felony charge of murder and three misdemeanor charges for DUI/alcohol abuse and failure to appear. He has a July 8 court date in Murrieta, according to jail records.

Officers found an adult male inside the house, suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. Lifesaving efforts performed on the victim were not successful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The small child and the adult female were not injured. A preliminary investigation indicated this is an isolated incident and that all parties knew each other. There are no outstanding suspects and no danger to the community, according to Gutierrez. The motive for the shooting is under investigation.

The County Coroner's Office on Sunday identified the deceased as Kerry Ogarro, a 37-year-old male from Menifee.

“This was a rapidly evolving and dangerous scene for all involved, including our officers,” said Menifee Police Chief Pat Walsh. “As a result of great police work, our officers were able to safely take the suspect into custody. I want to thank the Murrieta Police Department/Hemet Police Department SWAT team and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department K9 Unit for their assistance with this call.”