On Saturday, May 9, 2015, forty-four-year-old Ronald Siazon Bonoan died under violent circumstances in the city of Carson, California. Bonoan, an Asian American man, had deep roots in the South Bay community, where he was known as a devoted son, a veteran, and a creative talent. Official coroner and investigative records categorized his manner of death as a homicide, but law enforcement agencies never publicly released the specific cause of death or detailed crime scene narratives, classifying the mechanism only as other.
Born on September 11, 1970, in neighboring Long Beach, Bonoan was the second son of Isabelo and Rosario Bonoan. He attended local South Bay schools, including 232nd Elementary School, Stephen White Middle School, St. Philomena School, and Bishop Montgomery High School. Following high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy in September 1989. Deployed aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Saipan, he supported crucial international missions, including the evacuation of civilians during Operation Sharp Edge in Liberia, deployments in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm, and Mediterranean operations in support of Operation Deny Flight and Operation Provide Promise. Among his shipmates, he was affectionately nicknamed Wizard for his sharp intellect and affinity for technology.
After receiving an honorable discharge as an Operations Specialist Third Class in 1997, Bonoan pursued higher education, earning an associate degree in engineering with honors from Los Angeles Harbor College before studying music engineering at the University of Southern California. Music and technology remained lifelong passions. As a teenager in 1983, he helped co-found the music and performance crew Unique Technique, gaining local acclaim in Southern California's breakdance and DJ culture under the moniker Ron-E-Boy. Later in life, he worked as a computer technician and video game tester. To those around him, he was remembered as a generous, easygoing peacemaker who stepped up when his family needed him. According to his loved ones, he displayed exceptional courage and tenacity during the final week of his life, engaging in a heroic effort to defend his home and his family.
The city of Carson, an ethnically diverse municipality spanning approximately nineteen square miles in the South Bay region, is policed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Homicide detectives from the department's Carson Station and Homicide Bureau were tasked with investigating the death. In 2015, Carson experienced a notable wave of South Bay violence, and investigator caseloads across the county were heavily burdened. Despite efforts by detectives to piece together what occurred leading up to Bonoan's fatal encounter, very few details of the incident ever reached the public, and no public appeals were issued containing descriptions of potential assailants or getaway vehicles.
More than a decade after his death, no suspects have been arrested, charged, or named in connection with the homicide of Ronald Bonoan. His family and friends continue to mourn a life cut short, holding onto memories of his service, creative energy, and protective spirit. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau continues to maintain jurisdiction over the open case, urging anyone with any knowledge regarding the events of May 2015 in Carson to come forward with information.
