A man accused of gunning down a 31-year-old Perris resident was charged Friday with murder and other offenses.
Fredy Morales was arrested Wednesday following a weeks-long Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the slaying of Alberto Delgado Urista.
In addition to murder, Morales is charged with sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
The defendant, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail, was slated to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Morales was already in custody at the downtown Riverside jail for alleged drug-related offenses and was formally re-booked for the alleged murder, according to sheriff’s officials.
Sgt. Ed Baeza said Urista was attacked shortly before 9 p.m. July 23 in the 300 block of Third Street, near F Street, on the east end of Perris.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire, and when deputies reached the location, they found the victim “suffering from gunshot wounds,” Baeza said.
Urista was taken to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley, where he died that night, according to the sergeant.
He said deputies combed the area for suspects, but were unsuccessful. However, in the ensuing weeks, homicide detectives developed leads pointing to Morales as the alleged perpetrator, culminating in an arrest warrant being obtained and served on him at the jail.
Further details regarding the investigation and a possible motive for the shooting were not disclosed.
Morales has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County. However, he has a separate unresolved felony case pending for alleged possession of controlled substances for sale while armed.