3 People Shot In Moreno Valley, 2 Dead

MORENO VALLEY – Two men who were shot to death by possible human traffickers at a “drop house” used to conceal illegal immigrants in Moreno Valley were identified Saturday, a sheriff’s sergeant said.

Carmelo Garcia-Palacio, 20, and Miguel Martinez-Altanerano, 28, were shot around 6:17 p.m. Thursday at a house in the 21000 block of Bay Avenue, said Sgt. R. Spivacke of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

One man was pronounced dead at the scene. The other died later at a local hospital, Spivacke said.

A third victim turned up several hours later at a cell phone store and was taken to a local hospital. He was expected to survive, Spivacke said.

The house where the shootings happened was used by human traffickers as a “drop house” to transport and hide undocumented immigrants, investigators said.

The surviving victim said he was shot five times by a human trafficker who was demanding more money for having smuggled him into the country hours before the shooting, The Press- Enterprise reported.

No suspects were in custody, and the investigation continues.