Benny James Ceasar, a 49-year-old man from Long Beach, California, was tragically killed on September 14, 2016. The incident occurred in the 5400 block of Atlantic Avenue, where Ceasar and a woman were both shot. The Long Beach Police Department received a call about gunfire in the area around 4:35 p.m. Upon arrival, they found Ceasar and the woman, who had sustained gunshot wounds.
Ceasar was pronounced dead at the scene at 5 p.m., while the woman was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect in the shooting, Sotero Monteon, a 61-year-old man, was arrested later that evening near Lime Avenue and South Street. Witnesses had seen Monteon boarding a bus shortly after the shooting. Monteon was charged with murder on September 16, 2016, along with three other felony counts, including attempted murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of ammunition. The charges also included a special allegation that Monteon personally and intentionally discharged a firearm, causing great bodily injury and death.
Monteon had a lengthy criminal history, with previous convictions for manslaughter in 1975 and 1982, robbery in 1990, transporting and selling a controlled substance in 1993, assault with a firearm in 1997, and possession of a controlled substance in 2007 and 2012. If convicted of the charges related to Ceasar's death, Monteon faced a potential sentence of at least 140 years to life in state prison. The case was being investigated by the Long Beach Police Department, and Monteon was scheduled to return to court for arraignment on September 29, 2016.
