Tributes have flooded in after a UPS worker was fatally shot 14 times, after allegedly being stalked by a childhood friend.
Expedito ''X'' Cuesta De Leon was gunned down last week in a drive-by shooting that left him riddled with 14 bullets, causing him to bleed out in the street in California, US. He was found near the intersection of Chrysler and Bendix in Irvine Industrial Complex — East, a neighborhood in the far southeast of the Californian city located about 43 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
A fundraiser for X's memorial has surpassed its initial $5000 goal and has now reached $6,691 at the time of writing, with colleagues and friends commenting with their donations on how much X will be missed.
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46-year-old Rhean Fontanoza was charged with the murder of Expedito Cuesta De Leon (Orange County District Attorney’s Office)
The victim , from Aliso Viejo, was gunned down in his delivery truck (Irvine Police Department)A colleague of X, Sarah Koclanis, set up the fundraiser, saying ''had the privilege of working alongside'' him for ''many years.''
Sarah said: ''His infectious smile and unwavering positivity touched countless lives. In light of this sudden tragedy, his colleagues and I have come together to establish this fund, aiming to alleviate the burden on his family.''
''We’ve created a platform where people can find information, express sentiments, or make heartfelt donations. On behalf of his UPS family, thank you for your support. ''
A fundraiser for X's memorial has surpassed its initial $5000 goal (KTLA5)Regis & Rose Duncan donated $150 adding that they will ''miss having him as our delivery driver'' as he had been for the five years. The couple added: ''I will miss walking into work with you, laughing, and joking around. We will miss your smile, and positive outlook on life. We loved seeing you almost everyday. You will be missed! We will never forget you!''
Bryan Hernandez, another colleague donated $50 to the cause, commenting, ''Miss you X! Will cherish every memory of you. Still can’t believe it. Miss seeing you everyday. Always a pleasure with you. Rest easy brother! Prayers go out to all family and friends. X is the best!''
Rhean Jalipa Fontanoza was charged with murder with special circumstances, ABC 7 Los Angeles reported, and he also faces a sentencing enhancement for shooting a gun causing death. He reportedly lay in wait for De Leon at the intersection before shooting him at approximately 3 pm PDT last Thursday.
The Irvine Police Department investigated the shooting death of a UPS driver (KTLA5)X's public viewing and rosary service will be held on May 29, with his funeral mass and burial taking place the next day at the Santiago de Compostela Church and Miramar National Cemetery.
X, was sitting in his delivery van after dropping off a package at around 3 pm when a masked gunman pulled up in his van before shooting him, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
To find De Leon, the Orange County District Attorney's Office told the outlet that he stopped another UPS driver and asked what De Leon's route was that day. When he was informed that De Leon had a different route, he reportedly went to a substation in nearby Aliso Viejo and accessed a computer that showed drivers' routes, taking a picture of it with his phone.
The 46-year-old was reportedly on disability leave until June 1 but was still able to access the system using his work credentials. The DA's office alleged that the suspect tracked down De Leon using a vehicle the latter wouldn't recognize.
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The DA's office revealed in a statement: "De Leon then left his truck to make a delivery and returned to his truck and buckled his seatbelt. He still had his UPS scanner in his hand and his seatbelt buckled when Fontanoza drove next to De Leon's delivery truck and shot him 14 times in 19 seconds."
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the incident, showing Fontanoza pulling up in a pickup truck alongside De Leon before fleeing the scene. The truck was reportedly described as a silver Honda Ridgeline four-door with a black truck bed liner and black rims.
X's public viewing and rosary service will be held on May 29 (KTLA5)"Mr. De Leon was just going about his day, doing his job with no idea his longtime friend was stalking him with every intent to kill him," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in another statement obtained by ABC 7 Los Angeles. "The depravity involved to plot and carry out a plan to execute someone you shared a lifetime of memories is not something any one of us can wrap our heads around. No life should have to end like this, and it is a tragedy that should never have happened."
De Leon was pronounced dead after being found in the front seat of his delivery truck. Hours later, the police reportedly boxed in the pickup truck and apprehended Fontanoza at approximately 6 pm PDT. SWAT officers and other armored police reportedly blocked the vehicle in as other SWAT vehicles stood by for backup.
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Tear gas was deployed, as was a K-9 unit, and the dog was reportedly seen attacking the man in the vehicle's rear passenger seat. He was apprehended after a short struggle, then arrested, with the incident concluding by 6:15pm.
Fontanoza is now being held without bail, with the DA's office weighing the death penalty as they build a case against him. UPS released a statement on Friday about the incident that was obtained by ABC 7 Los Angeles.
The statement reads, "We are shocked and saddened by the latest developments in Irvine, CA. These are highly unusual circumstances and do not represent the culture of our company and the camaraderie among our employees around the world. Our focus now is on supporting our people and their loved ones during this extremely difficult time."
The company deferred any additional questions about the incident to the local authorities investigating it, refusing to comment further on an open investigation.
De Leon was reportedly well-loved in his community, with neighbors saddened to learn of the loss of such a nice man who always engaged them, both in his capacity as a UPS driver and in his life outside of work in Aliso Viejo, which is a city just under 15 miles southeast of Irvine.
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