Jesus Nunez

Jesus Nunez, an unborn 6-month-old fetus, was pronounced dead on Thursday, Aug. 29, after his mother was fatally shot in the 2700 block of Leafdale Avenue in El Monte, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Jesus’ mother, Ana Maria Nunez, 37, was alone at her home on Leafdale Avenue the evening she was shot, according to Los Angeles County  sheriff’s Lt. Joe Mendoza. 

A family member found Nunez inside her home with multiple gunshot wounds about 8:55 p.m., Mendoza said. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she and Jesus were pronounced dead at 9:37 p.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Nunez’s cause of death was listed as gunshot wounds to the torso. Jesus’ cause of death was listed as intra-uterine fetal demise due to maternal death. 

Authorities are searching for Nunez’s estranged husband, Octavio Curiel-Martinez, 36, who was seen leaving the scene and is believed to be armed with a handgun, The Times reported. 

At about 8:30 p.m., Curiel-Martinez went to his parents’ home in the 12300 block of Clinton Street in El Monte and shot at his father, who was standing outside, Mendoza said. Those shots missed and his father was unharmed, Mendoza said. 

Investigators don’t know which shooting occurred first, but they suspect Nunez was shot before the attack on her father-in-law, about 1½ miles from her home, Mendoza said. 

Nunez and Curiel-Martinez were raising four children together but they were not home at the time of the shooting, Mendoza said. Despite the couple’s estrangement, Curiel-Martinez stayed at the home off and on, Mendoza said. 

Curiel-Martinez is considered armed and dangerous, Mendoza said. He is described as Latino, about 5 feet 7 with brown hair and eyes. He was last seen driving his red 2018 Toyota Tacoma with a chrome utility box in the bed, and California license plate 81718L2.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.  

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.