Jury seated in trial of man accused of killing man at Cathedral City Applebee’s
A jury was seated Monday and opening statements were delivered in the trial of a man accused of gunning down a 31-year-old Cathedral City restaurant customer during an altercation.
Willie Ramirez Bustamante, 34, of Cathedral City, is charged with murder and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations in the slaying last year of Ernesto Lazcano Arroyo, also of Cathedral City.
After nearly a week of vetting prospective jurors, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Hollenhorst swore in a panel Monday at the Riverside Hall of Justice, after which the prosecution and defense delivered opening statements.
Prosecution testimony is slated to begin Tuesday.
Bustamante is free on a $100,000 bond.
According to the Cathedral City Police Department, at 11:30 p.m. Aug. 6, 2023, a fight erupted between multiple patrons of the Applebee's at 32-400 Date Palm Drive, and the defendant and victim were involved.
Sgt. Albert Ruiz alleged that during the altercation, Bustamante pulled a handgun and opened fire, mortally wounding Arroyo. No one else was struck by the gunfire.
The defendant allegedly fled the location, and the victim was taken to a Coachella Valley trauma center, where he died a short time later.
Ruiz said homicide detectives conducted interviews and tracked down leads pointing to Bustamante as the alleged perpetrator. However, a specific motive for the outbreak of violence was not disclosed.
Coordinating with the county's Gang Impact Team, investigators placed Bustamante's residence in the 69-100 block of Dinah Shore Drive under surveillance and ultimately obtained and served a search warrant there, culminating in the defendant's arrest.
Another man was also initially implicated in the shooting, but he was later cleared.
Court records show Bustamante was charged with attempted murder and other offenses over a decade ago in connection with an attack in Palm Springs. However, the charges were later dismissed.
He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
