Baby Acosta

Baby Acosta, a 15-week-old fetus, died Sunday, Aug. 6, after its mother was shot in the 1200 block of West Victoria Avenue in Montebello, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Montebello police found the mother, Roxann Felicia Acosta, a 28-year-old Latina, suffering from a gunshot wound at a residence about 10 p.m., according to Sgt. Marc Marty. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:22 p.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Detectives thought Acosta was killed by her husband, Christopher Michael Diaz, 26. The two were estranged, Marty said, but had spent the day together before ending up at Diaz’s mother’s house in Montebello.

Acosta and Diaz had an argument, and witnesses heard gunshots, Marty said. Diaz’s mother was in the house but in another room; other people also were in the home.

Diaz fled, and no weapons were found at the scene, Marty said. On Aug. 7, police arrested a woman in connection with the case on suspicion of aiding and abetting, Marty said, but he would not release her name.

At a vigil the day after the shooting, family members told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that Acosta had three children and was pregnant with the baby.

On Aug. 18, authorities found Diaz, 26, in the 2900 block of West Via Corona, a few miles from where Acosta and her unborn child died, according to a police report.

When officers spotted Diaz, he fled, then pulled out a semi-automatic gun and fired at least one round, a news release said. Police returned fire, and Diaz was pronounced dead at 2:47 p.m. at the scene, according to coroner’s records.

Anyone with information about either shooting is asked to call Montebello police at (323) 887-1313. Those who wish to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.