On the night of August 12, 2024, at approximately 10:30 p.m., deputies from the Moreno Valley Sheriff's Station responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon in the 24000 block of Bostwick Drive, near Cactus Avenue, in Moreno Valley, California. Upon arrival, they discovered 30-year-old Gilbert Ramirez suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite prompt medical attention, Ramirez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department's Central Homicide Unit quickly identified 31-year-old Joe Miramontes Jr., also a resident of Moreno Valley, as the sole suspect in the murder. According to authorities, Ramirez and Miramontes were involved in an unspecified dispute that escalated when Miramontes allegedly drew a handgun and fired multiple shots at Ramirez before fleeing the scene.
A warrant was issued for Miramontes' arrest, and on August 14, 2024, acting on a tip, law enforcement located him at an apartment complex in the 1400 block of Laurel Avenue in Pomona, California. Miramontes was taken into custody without incident by a collaborative effort involving the Riverside Sheriff's Major Crimes Unit, Special Enforcement Bureau, and the Pomona Police Department. He was subsequently booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of murder.
Court records indicate that Miramontes has a prior felony conviction in Riverside County for making criminal threats. In addition to the murder charge, he faces counts of being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm and possession of controlled substances for sale, along with sentence-enhancing allegations related to the use of a firearm and infliction of great bodily injury. He is currently being held in lieu of $1.2 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ramirez's death remains ongoing. Authorities have not disclosed further details about the nature of the dispute between Ramirez and Miramontes. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department continues to encourage anyone with additional information to come forward and assist with the investigation.
