20-year-old Costa Mesa man arrested on suspicion of murder after Monday shooting

A 20-year-old Costa Mesa man was arrested Tuesday and is being held on $1-million bail following the fatal shooting of another man Monday night in a residential alleyway, officials reported.

Costa Mesa Police Department spokeswoman Roxi Fyad said the station received multiple calls shortly before 10:45 p.m. Monday regarding the sound of gunshots near the 2000 block of Sterling Alley, between Pomona and Wallace avenues.

Officers arrived on scene to find a man on the sidewalk who had sustained several gunshot wounds. They administered CPR and used an automated external defibrillator in an attempt to resuscitate the victim — later identified as Jonathan Ray Valdez, 38, of Costa Mesa.

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue arrived on scene and transported Valdez to Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he succumbed to his injuries.

In their investigation into the incident, CMPD detectives identified a possible suspect, 20-year-old Costa Mesa resident Ryan Rojas. Fyad confirmed Tuesday detectives were able to contact Rojas, who agreed to speak with officers at the station.

He was detained and booked on one charge of murder. Police later retrieved what they believe to be the weapon used in the homicide, which Fyad described as a 9-millimeter handgun.

Rojas is currently being held at Orange County’s Theo Lacy facility, a maximum security jail. He was scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

CMPD detectives are asking anyone who may have information about this incident to contact Det. Kris Moore at (714) 754-4986 or kmoore@costamesaca.gov, or Sgt. Jose Morales at (714) 754-4933.