Behind the Badge
Anaheim police officers arrested Miguel Reveles Villegas, a 35-year-old Placentia resident, on suspicion of murder following a pursuit that ended in San Diego on January 8.
At about 6:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, officers arrived at the 500 block of North Sabina Street to find 45-year-old Fernando Guerrero Cervantes suffering from a gunshot wound. Cervantes was rushed to the hospital but died 14 days later on Jan. 7.
Homicide detectives identified Villegas as the murder suspect following an investigation.
Investigators attempted to pull over Villegas in Anaheim after they saw him driving near Magnolia Street and Lincoln Avenue the morning of Jan. 8; but he refused.
A pursuit broke out on the I-5 south but with the help of the California Highway Patrol, ended near Via de la Valle in San Diego around 8:45 a.m. that day.
Villegas then attempted to run from officers after his car was stopped, but he was soon caught, arrested, and taken into custody.
Villegas was taken to a nearby facility on charges of murder and felony evading, then later transported to the Anaheim Detention Facility. Villegas is being held on a $1 million bail.
Due to the ongoing investigation, officials are not releasing information regarding possible motives for the shooting or Villegas’ booking photo.
