Brandon Ivan Colbert, 22, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was arrested for the shooting deaths of 26-year-old Carina Mancera and her 4-year-old daughter Jennabel Anaya, both of Long Beach.
The murders occurred around 10:15pm on Aug. 6, in the area of 9th Street and Locust Avenue.
Long Beach Fire Department personnel pronounced Mancera deceased at the scene. Her daughter was transported to a local hospital in critical condition but was pronounced deceased early the next morning.
A preliminary investigation determined the two victims and the child’s father, Luis Anaya, 27, had just arrived home, and they were walking to their nearby residence, when the shooting occurred. The perpetrator had also targeted Anaya but missed.
“Today, their family and our community can find some comfort in the knowledge that a person believed to be responsible for their deaths is in our custody,” said Police Chief Robert Luna. “I’m extremely proud of the men and women of our department, especially the homicide detectives, for their efforts and dedication toward solving this case.”
As forensic evidence from the crime scene was being processed by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department laboratory personnel, detectives continued to pursue all viable leads, according to the LBPD. On Oct. 31, laboratory personnel notified LBPD detectives that their DNA submission had positively identified an individual who had recently been arrested. The individual was arrested on Aug. 27, for driving a stolen vehicle, by the Los Angeles Police Department.
On Nov. 6, 2016, detectives booked Colbert for the murders of Mancera and Anaya, as well as the attempted murder of Luis Anaya. Colbert is currently being held without bail at the Long Beach City Jail. At the time of his arrest, Colbert was in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for the unrelated LAPD arrest.
A motive for the murders has yet to be determined, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Source: LBPD
