A pastor in California has been arrested after police say he paid two men tens of thousands of dollars to kill his daughter’s boyfriend because he didn’t approve of him.
On Oct. 21, 2023, officers responded to a local hospital regarding a patient suffering from gunshot wounds suffered during an alleged shooting that took place around 7 p.m. that night, the Riverside Police Department said.
When speaking with police, the victim said he had been hit several times in a drive-by shooting and quickly drove himself to the hospital for treatment.
The man did survive his injuries, authorities said.
During their investigation, police determined the shooting took place on Grove Community Drive and Plainview Street in Riverside.
According to officials, 47-year-old Samuel Pasillas, a pastor in Victorville, met with and paid two hitmen almost $40,000 to shoot the victim, who was in a relationship with the pastor's daughter.
Investigators claimed Pasillas provided the contract killers with the victim’s location and other details, and the hitmen allegedly surveilled the victim for weeks before the shooting occurred.
On March 13, detectives served search warrants at homes in Victorville, Long Beach and Lynwood.
Officers arrested Pasillas and another man, 55-year-old Juan Cebreros. Both were booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.
Pasillas was charged with solicitation for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon, officials said.
Cebreros was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon.
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The pair remain were each being held a $1 million bail.
According to KABC-TV, police are actively searching for another person of interest, Jesus Abel Felix Garcia. Officials say his whereabouts are unknown.
