SOUTH EL MONTE — October 26, 2026. A new appeal by California’s governor has drawn statewide attention to an unsolved homicide in South El Monte. The October 23 announcement covers multiple cases across six counties and says rewards are available for qualifying information leading to an arrest and conviction. This report concerns a renewed appeal, not a new crime committed this week.
What authorities have confirmed about Estevan Mejia
Estevan Mejia, 34, was fatally shot in 2024 in the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, according to the governor’s October 23 release, which cites information from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Officials described recovery of Mejia’s car the following day in a dry riverbed several miles away; the state says the car had been stripped of certain valuables.
Mejia worked as a nurse with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, according to the official account. Those circumstances are being presented as the state reported them, not as evidence pointing to any particular motive or perpetrator. The case remains an appeal for verified leads.
How to submit information
Anyone who may have relevant facts can contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Detective Amber Montenegro at 323-890-5500. In an emergency, call 911 instead of using an investigative tip line. People should not attempt to investigate independently, approach anyone they suspect, or publicly circulate unverified allegations.
The $300,000 cited in the state announcement refers to the broader group of unsolved investigations; it is not necessarily a reward amount applicable to every individual tip. Conditions of eligibility and whether information qualifies for a reward are decided under the official program’s rules.
Primary source: California governor’s official rewards announcement dated October 23, 2026. California58’s statewide overview provides context on the other cases. The newsroom has not conducted a separate interview with the affected families.
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