6 suspects arrested for fatal shooting on Angeles Crest Highway; police investigating connection with Rancho Palos Verdes shooting

Pasadena police are continuing their investigation following the arrests of five men and one woman they believe are connected to a double homicide in Ranchos Palos Verdes on Monday and another on Angeles Crest Highway in Pasadena on Saturday.

Los Angeles resident Jessie Munoz, 32, was shot and killed early Saturday morning on a turnout on the Angeles Crest Highway in Pasadena. A female passenger was not injured.

On Monday, 36-year-old Jorge Ramos and 26-year-old Taylor Raven Whittaker were found dead in a vehicle parked at the overlook at Pelican Cove Park in Rancho Palos Verdes. They had both been shot to death inside of a blue Subaru sedan.

During a press conference, PPD Lieutenant Keith Gomez said that six suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime in Pasadena on Saturday.

"Thanks to some technology, we were able to identify two suspects and a suspect vehicle late Monday evening," he said. "We arrested six suspects connected to the homicide that occurred up in Angeles Crest. We impounded a vehicle we believe was involved in that homicide and during the arrest we recovered four firearms."

Authorities are working to determine if the firearms, two handguns and two rifles, match those used in the shootings. 

The suspects were arrested when police performed a traffic stop on the vehicle in Panorama City. 

"We do believe they're part of a criminal street gang," Gomez said, noting that all six suspects are male and female adults. "We believe the motive is robbery."

On top of the arrests, Gomez disclosed that Pasadena PD believes that there is a connection between the two separate shootings. 

"I will tell you that everything that we have gathered over the last couple days, as far as investigate leads, facts, we have forwarded that to the sheriff's department and other agencies that are investigating crimes that may be connected to our suspects," Gomez said. 

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is handling the Rancho Palos Verdes investigation.

Investigators are working to confirm if the suspects are connected to additional crimes in other jurisdictions across Los Angeles County. 

None of the suspects have been identified at this point.