Johnny Hernandez Convicted for Torture, Burning Death of Ontario Woman
Photo: Johnny Hernandez
SAN BERNARDINO – District Attorney Mike Ramos announced today’s Rancho Cucamonga jury decision: Johnny Hernandez (25) is Guilty. His charges are First Degree Murder of Maria Banuelos. The jury also found true the special circumstance that her murder was committed during the course or commission of mayhem. Additionally, his charges are “one count of Torture, one count of Mayhem and one count of Arson Causing Death.”
Hernandez is one of five suspects responsible for her gruesome death. On Oct. 22, 2011, Ontario PD officers arrived at an apartment complex to find residents administering aid to Banuelos (34) of Ontario. She was still on fire.
The victim identified four of her attackers at the scene. While in the ambulance, the victim uttered her last dying words, “Hector Meza set me on fire. He is abusive and obsessive.”
Subsequently, law enforcement arrested Meza on suspicion of attempted murder a few hours after the brutal attack. Banuelos died in a hospital two days later.
Prior to being set on fire, the victim suffered three blows to her head. The weapon was ” something consistent with a metal bar.”
Investigators arrested four suspects linked to the attack: 45-year-old Hector Meza (45) of Yucca Valley, Genese Ramirez (27) of Banning, Robert Zapata (25) of San Bernardino, and Johnathan Zuniga (30) of Rancho Cucamonga.
DA Ramos added, “Meza’s sentence on Jan. 4, 2017 was Life in State Prison Without the Possibility of Parole. Zuniga’s sentence of 25 years to life in state prison came on March 24, 2017. Ramirez is due back in court later this week for a status hearing. Zapata will appear in court for a Pre-Trial Hearing on June 29th.”
Consequently, for his role in Maria Banuelos’ torture and burning death, Hernandez faces life in state prison without the possibility of parole when sentenced Aug. 31, 2018.
