A 23-year-old man has been taken into custody in connection with a Chula Vista cold-case homicide that left a local Navy sailor dead in 2021. Police identified the suspect as Abraham Zuniga and say he was arrested on Monday and booked on murder and conspiracy charges as detectives continue to work the case.
Arrest and charges
According to FOX5 San Diego, Zuniga was arrested on Monday and booked on counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Court records cited in the report show he was arraigned at the South County Courthouse. The outlet also reports Zuniga was 18 years old at the time of the killing and is now 23 and from Spring Valley.
What happened in 2021
Chula Vista police say the shooting unfolded shortly after 12:25 AM on Feb. 6, 2021, when dispatchers first received a call about a suspicious vehicle in the 1800 block of Marquette Road, followed by reports of shots fired, according to a Chula Vista Police Department media advisory. Responding officers found a man with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. Paramedics rushed him to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The victim was identified as 36-year-old Ramone Joseph, a member of the U.S. Navy, as reported by KGTV.
How investigators linked a suspect
Investigators told FOX5 San Diego that leads developed over time, including evidence that several suspects were allegedly scouting vehicles and burglarizing homes in the neighborhood on the night of the shooting. Detectives say follow-up interviews and forensic work ultimately led them to Zuniga. Authorities have not released details about the specific evidence they believe ties him to the killing.
Next steps in court
Zuniga was arraigned at the South County Courthouse in Chula Vista. The San Diego Superior Court's South County page lists that Chula Vista facility as the courthouse that handles criminal cases for the area. He faces homicide-related allegations and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Any future hearings and filings will be handled through the county Superior Court calendar.
The Chula Vista Police Department is asking anyone with information about the case to contact detectives at (619) 691-5075 or call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477, in line with the department's 2021 advisory and subsequent updates. Detectives say the investigation remains active and that additional tips could help drive further developments in the case.
