ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — A road rage shooting led to the death of a 6-year-old boy on the 55 Freeway in the City of Orange, Calif., May 21. Now police have confirmed that two arrests have been made in the shocking homicide of Aiden Leos, the little boy who was killed last month, the California Highway Patrol announced Sunday evening.
We are confirming the arrest of the two suspects believed responsible for the shooting death of 6-year-old Aiden Leos. Marcus Anthony Eriz, 24, and Wynne Lee, 23, were arrested at their home in Costa Mesa.
— CHP Santa Ana (@CHPSantaAna) June 7, 2021
Marcus Anthony Eriz, 24, and Wynne Lee, 23, were taken into custody at their Costa Mesa residence in connection with the case. It is anticipated they will be charged with murder, according to a CHP news release.
The duo are being held on $1 million bail each and scheduled to make a court appearance on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The high profile homicide brought almost daily attention to the case as the reward for information leading to the capture and conviction of the child’s killer grew to $500,000, according to Orange County DA Todd Spitzer.
Detectives spent tireless hours trying to solve Leos’ murder, which occurred as his mother was driving him to kindergarten on the northbound 55 freeway approaching the 22 freeway at 8:10 a.m. The youngster was sitting in a booster seat in the back of his mother’s car when he was shot and killed, KTLA reported.
“On behalf of Border Division Chief Omar Watson, and the Santa Ana Area, we are deeply grateful for the professionalism and tireless commitment of our investigators who have worked on this case from day one to find those responsible for Aiden’s death,” said CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray.
The suspect vehicle was described as a 2018-2019 white Volkswagen Golf SportsWagen with non-tinted windows and a sunroof.
The boy’s mother, Joanna Cloonan, and the suspects in the white Volkswagen were involved in a road rage incident over a perceived unsafe lane change, the press release stated.
One of the individuals in the VW then fired at least once into the rear of Cloonan’s vehicle, killing Aiden, according to the CHP. The suspects then fled the scene, Law Officer reported.
“While these arrests will not ease the pain of a mother’s loss, my hope is for the Leos family to have some peace of mind and to rest assured the CHP will work with the Orange County District Attorney to bring justice for Aiden,” Ray said.
CHP Border Division Chief Watson extended his gratitude to the Orange County community for its “indescribable outpouring of concern and hundreds of tips” that helped investigators find the killers.
“The Department has been in regular contact with the victim’s family and I assure you they, like us, are committed to seeing justice served,” Watson said.
We have confirmed at least one arrest has been made in the road rage murder of 6 year old Aiden Leos on the 55 freeway. Awaiting more details. @KTLA pic.twitter.com/dz9D7LXlLa
— Chip Yost (@ChipYost) June 7, 2021
Family and close friends of Leos held a private funeral service for the boy on Saturday at Calvary Chapel in Yorba Linda, according to KTLA.
“It feels so wrong that you’ve been taken from us,” Cloonan said at her son’s funeral service. “I want nothing more than to find justice, although it won’t bring you back into our arms. It makes me outraged that such a precious, beautiful soul did not get the opportunity to continue developing into a young man, starting a family of his own.”
“My precious son had his life ripped away from him for absolutely no reason,” she said. “They took his life and my heart along with it.”
During the eulogy, Cloonan shared her son’s last wish.
“On his sixth birthday, as he blew out his candles, he looked at us and he said, ‘I just wish for everyone to be happy.’”
UPDATE:
The couple suspected in connection with the road rage murder of a 6-year-old boy last month will appear in court Tuesday, as officials promised to “get justice” for the child in what they described as a disturbing case, Fox News reported.
Wynne Lee, 23, and Marcus Anthony Eriz, 24, have been arrested in the death of a 6-year-old boy in what authorities have called a road rage incident last month on a California freeway. (Orange County District Attorney’s Office)
Prosecutors are still deciding what to charge them with, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told reporters at a news conference.
Officials released few details about the capture.
