UPS driver killed in Irvine: Expedito Cuesta De Leon was chased and shot 14 times by childhood friend Rhean Fontanoza, prosecutor says

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) — A UPS worker was allegedly stalked by a childhood friend who was also a co-worker before he was shot in Irvine last week, authorities said Tuesday.

Rhean Jalipa Fontanoza, 46, was charged with murder on Monday. Special circumstances were established for the drive-by shooting and murder by ambush in the killing of Expedito Cuesta De Leon. Fontanoza also faced an increased sentence for discharging a firearm resulting in death.

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The shooting happened around 3 p.m. Thursday in an industrial area near the intersection of Chrysler and Bendix.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Fontanoza allegedly flagged down another UPS driver that day and inquired about De Leon’s route.

When the driver told him that De Leon had a different route, Fontanoza allegedly went to the UPS Aliso Viejo substation, accessed a computer that displayed the drivers’ routes and took a photo of it with his phone.

Fontanoza was on disability leave but was scheduled to return to work June 1, the DA’s office said.

Shortly before 3 p.m., Fontanoza tracked down De Leon in a new vehicle that the victim did not recognize, authorities said.

“De Leon then exited his truck to make a delivery, returned to his truck and buckled up,” the DA’s office said in a statement. “He still had his UPS scanner in hand and was wearing his seatbelt when Fontanoza drove alongside De Leon’s van and shot him 14 times in 19 seconds.”

According to authorities, Fontanoza was captured on surveillance video in a pickup truck that pulled up next to the UPS truck and then fled on Goodyear Road toward Jeronimo. The truck was described as a silver Honda Ridgeline four-door with a black bed and black wheels.

Cuesta De Leon was pronounced dead after being found in the driver’s seat of the UPS truck.

“Mr. De Leon simply went about his day and did his job, unaware that his longtime friend was pursuing him with the intent to kill him,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. “The depravity involved in planning and executing a plan to execute a person with whom one has shared a lifetime of memories is something none of us can imagine. No life should have to end like this and it is a tragedy that should never have happened.”

Hours after the shooting, armored police vehicles parked the silver pickup on Santiago Canyon Road near Chapman Avenue. Video from the scene around 6 p.m. showed additional SWAT officers stationed on a hill above the standoff.

At approximately 6:15 p.m., police officers were seen firing what appeared to be tear gas into the cab of the truck, and a short time later, a police K-9 was deployed to attack a man in the passenger seat of the vehicle. After a brief struggle, officers responded, pulled Fontanoza from the vehicle and took him into custody.

Fontanoza is currently being held without bail. The DA’s office said he could face the death penalty if convicted.

Cuesta De Leon’s death had an immediate impact not only on Irvine, but also on the people of Aliso Viejo, where he lived.

“He will be missed, really missed, by the community,” said Shirley Rochon, a neighbor of Cuesta De Leon who was known to friends and family as “Jay.”

“When I heard it on the news this morning, I thought, ‘Oh no. I hope it’s not our neighbor.’ Because he worked at UPS for a few years,” Rochon said. “The whole neighborhood knew him. He was always back there doing something and talking to all of us: ‘Hello. How are you doing?’

“I can’t imagine how in the world someone could do something like that to him,” Rochon said.

UPS released a statement on Friday saying, “We are shocked and saddened by recent developments in Irvine, California. These are highly unusual circumstances and do not represent the culture of our company and the camaraderie among our employees around the world. Our focus now is to support our people and their loved ones during this extremely difficult time. As the investigation is ongoing, we will direct any further questions to law enforcement.