Cecilia Meza, 41

Cecilia Meza, a 41-year-old Latina, was pronounced dead on Wednesday, Dec. 5, in the 800 block of West Colorado Boulevard in Monrovia, according to Los Angeles County authorities.

Meza was found in her upstairs apartment along with her 17-year-old daughter, Kelsey Meza, who was also dead, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Derrick Alfred.  

The mother’s boyfriend, Nimrod Perez Guerrero, 33, also lived in the apartment and is now wanted as a suspect in the double slaying, Alfred said. 

The three lived across the street from Monrovia High School, where Kelsey was a senior. Tearful students gathered outside the apartment on Wednesday afternoon as investigators worked at the scene. 

“There were lots of very upset children outside,” Alfred said. “She was liked by plenty of people.”

Monrovia School District Supt. Katherine Thorossian issued a statement on Thursday, saying the school would be providing grief counselors to students and staff "for as long as they are needed." 

"Today was a hard day in Monrovia," Thorossian wrote on the district's Facebook page. "Our students and our staff grieved for the loss of a friend, a student, a teen excited about going to college. The adults from elementary and middle school vividly remember a sweet, kind girl who always went out of her way to help others." 

Monrovia police officers were asked to check on the mother and daughter around 1 p.m. Wednesday, since no one had spoken to them since Sunday, Alfred said. The officers had to climb through an open window in the apartment, where they found the two bodies. 

Meza was pronounced dead at 1:48 p.m. and Kelsey was pronounced dead at 1:50 p.m. Their autopsies are still pending, and investigators have not released any details about the circumstances of their deaths. 

Meza’s boyfriend, Perez Guerrero, is described as a Latino with brown hair and brown eyes,  5-foot-8 and about 200 pounds. He is possibly driving a gray 2014 Toyota RAV4 with the California license plate of 7FPB132. He should be considered armed and dangerous, Alfred said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact sheriff’s Homicide Bureau detectives Eddie Aguirre or Tony Guillen at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. 

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.