See the update at the end of this post identifying the murder suspect.
ORIGINAL POST, MAY 5, 11:43 A.M.: Orange County sheriff's homicide detectives are investigating the apparent murder of a man in his Mission Viejo apartment over the weekend.
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Deputies were called to the Vista Real Apartments' unit at 27260 Los Altos, Mission Viejo, on Sunday, when they determined some kind of physical altercation may have occurred inside the apartment leading up to the unidentified man's death, according to sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock, the department's spokesman.
An autopsy is scheduled for today, and no more information about the case is being released at this time.
So with not much at all to go on, the public is being asked to call the sheriff's Homicide Unit at 714.647.7055 if anyone has more information that can help investigators. Anonymous tips may also be left with Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855.847.6227 (855-TIP-OCCS) or by visiting occrimestoppers.org.
UPDATE, MAY 7, 3:13 P.M.: The dead man has been identified by the county coroner as Francesco “Joey” Bonomolo, 47, of Mission Viejo.
The autopsy concluded Bonomolo died of homicide, but the exact cause of death “is not being released due to the ongoing investigation,” according to Lt. Jeff Hallock.
The sheriff's spokesman had previously revealed that besides Bonomolo's killer, deputies are looking for the deceased's missing 2006 Toyota Corolla. It was described as a silver four-door sedan with California license plate No. 5ULA168.
Anyone who has seen that car or has more information about the homicide is asked to call the Orange County Sheriff's Department Homicide Unit at 714.647.7055. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855.847.6227 (855-TIP-OCCS) or visit occrimestoppers.org.
UPDATE, MAY 15, 6:33 P.M. An arrest has been made–the official update after the jump!
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On Monday, May 12, 2014 Orange County Sheriff's investigators arrested Adam Ingala-Whiting, 21, Oceanside, in connection with the homicide that occurred on Sunday, May 4, 2014. Ingala-Whiting was detained and subsequently arrested in the north San Diego County area.
Ingala-Whiting's arrest comes as a result of an investigation following Francesco “Joey” Bonomolo, 47, being found deceased inside his apartment (Vista Real Apartments) located at 27260 Los Altos in the city of Mission Viejo. Based on preliminary information and evidence located at the scene, investigators believed a physical altercation may have occurred inside the apartment leading up to the Bonomolo's death. Bonomolo's cause of death is still being withheld as a result of the ongoing investigation. Investigators are continuing to pursue information and examine evidence recovered from the scene.
Ingala-Whiting was booked into Orange County Jail on charges of CPC 187 – Murder and is currently being held on $1 million bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, May 14th.
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OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.