Partygoers at the site of homicides keeping mum
POLICE HDQTRS. — Police are still looking for the suspects who gunned down two Santa Monica men nearly three weeks ago.
Hector Bonilla, 25, and Jonathan Hernandez, 19, were shot multiple times on March 5 at a birthday party held at the Moose Lodge at 16th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard. The killings took place in front of between 50 and 70 witnesses, according to police. Those in attendance at the party were questioned by police shortly after the 11 p.m. shooting. However, most of them have provided detectives with little information. And the investigation, thus far, hasn’t produced as much information as detectives would like.
“We are still investigating, but one of the hurdles we have is that people are not cooperating,” said SMPD Lt. Frank Fabrega. “Some of the witnesses are less coopera-tive, which is hindering the investigation.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 23, 2005. Read the original PDF.