Two Other Suspects Plead Not Guilty in U.S. Marine Reservist Death

Two more suspects in the killing of a U.S. Marine reservist in Old Pasadena in August pleaded not guilty on Friday.

Pasadena Superior Court arraigned Jonathan Pierre Aquino, 24, of El Monte and Timothy Coley, 23, of West Covina for alleged assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury.

Three other suspects: Fernando Ramirez, 25, of Rowland Heights; Jonas Ramos, 24, of San Gabriel and Angel Moroyoqui, 21, of El Monte also pleaded not guilty and undergone preliminary hearing last Friday.

Ramirez is accused of physically assaulting Joshua Martinez of Los Angeles outside a restaurant on the 100 block of E. Colorado Boulevard. Ramos and Moroyoqui of El Monte allegedly aided Ramirez in the assault. All the three suspects were charged each with one count of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. Ramirez was given an additional one count of involuntary manslaughter.

If convicted as charged, Ramirez faces a maximum prison sentence of nine years. Ramos and Moroyoqui could be sentenced up to four years each. The three suspects were temporarily released after paying their bails set at $60,000 for Ramirez and $30,000 each for Ramos and Moroyoqui.

The incident began with police receiving two calls in rapid succession early Monday morning – the first of a “combative subject” in a restaurant and the second of a man down on the sidewalk in the 100 block of East Colorado Blvd.

Authorities found the victim unresponsive. Pasadena Fire Paramedics transported the victim to a local area hospital.

Pasadena detectives have determined the victim was part of a group that had been ejected earlier from the IX Tapa Cantina Lounge Restaurant at 119 E. Colorado Blvd. Lt. Terysa Rojas said there was a dispute between two groups at the restaurant and both were told to leave.

The victim was allegedly attacked a short distance to the west on the sidewalk near Barney’s Beanery restaurant by heavy-set Hispanic man who struck him once. The victim fell to the ground and as a result of the fall “sustained significantly serious injury” which left him unconscious, Lt. Tom Delgado said.