Maria Teresa Aguiar, a 59-year-old Latina, was tragically shot and killed on July 12, 2014, in Pasadena, California. The incident occurred in the 1700 block of North Summit Avenue. According to the Los Angeles County coroner’s records, Aguiar was attempting to flee from a home after her father, Luis Fernando Aguiar, aged 91, was also shot and killed. The situation escalated when a police officer in the vicinity saw Aguiar on the sidewalk and tried to assist her.
However, the gunman fired at the officer, who managed to take cover behind a patrol car and remained uninjured. Aguiar was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:21 p.m.
The alleged gunman, John Izeal Smith, a 44-year-old man, was identified by the police. Smith, who lived in the neighborhood, had barricaded himself in a home and called the police department’s communications center, confessing to the killings. During the ordeal, Smith also fatally wounded Jose Hernandez Iribe, a 31-year-old neighbor who ran towards the gunfire. Two other individuals sustained moderate injuries during the incident. Smith eventually surrendered to Pasadena SWAT officers after a 20-minute conversation with an emergency operator and a crisis negotiator.
Smith was charged with three counts of capital murder, including the special circumstance of multiple murders, and a special allegation that he personally and intentionally discharged a rifle. Additionally, he faced three counts of attempted murder, including the attempted murder of a police officer. The motive for the shooting was under investigation, but authorities suggested that a landlord-tenant dispute and a long-term relationship between the suspect and the victims were significant factors.
In December 2016, John Izeal Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder in the deaths of Maria Teresa Aguiar, Luis Fernando Aguiar, and Jose Hernandez Iribe. He also pleaded guilty to one count of assault on a peace officer. On February 1, 2017, Smith was sentenced to 181 years to life in state prison for his crimes. The case highlighted the tragic consequences of unresolved disputes and the devastating impact of gun violence on the community.
