Suspects in LA murder of good Samaritan who tried to stop catalytic converter theft were in country illegally

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Suspects in Inglewood murder have numerous prior arrests

Fox News correspondent Christina Coleman has the latest on the Inglewood man killed during a catalytic converter theft on ‘Fox Report.’

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Two murder suspects who allegedly killed a good Samaritan in Los Angeles County while he was attempting to stop them from stealing his neighbor’s catalytic converter were in the country illegally and have lengthy criminal records, Fox News has learned. 

Wilber Alberto Rabanales and Jose Christian Saravia Sanchez were arrested by police in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood Thursday for the Feb. 25 murder of Juan Miguel Sanchez. 

The incident was caught on surveillance video. 

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Jose Christian Saravia Sanchez, left, and Wilber Alberto Rabanales were arrested by police in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood Thursday for the Feb. 25 murder of Juan Miguel Sanchez.  (Inglewood Police Department)

Rabanales, a Guatemalan national, has been arrested at least 15 times in the last few years in the county, predominantly on gun charges, grand theft, burglary and drug charges, police sources told Fox News. 

He has multiple grand theft arrests, mostly for stealing catalytic converters, and past charges for multiple DUIs, conspiracy, felon in possession of a gun, possession of burglary tools, possession of meth, possession of stolen property and felony hit-and-run during a police pursuit.

Sanchez has been arrested at least a dozen times, mostly for grand theft, gun charges, drugs, burglary, kidnapping, possession of meth and possession of burglary tools, the sources said. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Juan Miguel Sanchez was allegedly shot and killed by the suspects after he confronted them without violence.  (FOX 11)

The victim was shot in the chest after he confronted the suspects while they were allegedly attempting to steal the catalytic converter, FOX 11 reported. 

The suspects escaped in a car and were later arrested at a motel in Cudahy, California, about 15 miles east of Inglewood. 

The victim’s sister, Susana Sanchez, said he would have turned 49 April 4. 

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“You took a big part of our heart,” she said in an interview with FOX 11. 

His family told the station he had left for work before 4 a.m. that morning because he wanted to get an early start at his job, where he had just been promoted while working to clean up after the Palisades Fire. 

A memorial for Juan Sanchez (FOX 11)

“He was a big man of faith, never missed mass on Sunday,” his sister said. “He volunteered on Sunday mornings at church.”

She added that he was the sole provider for his family.

“And now he’s gone, leaving my sister-in-law and two sons,” she added. 

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The family told FOX 11 the victim had told his wife she should leave her job while she underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer. 

Bill Melugin currently serves as a Los Angeles based correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in May 2021.