Loved ones gathered Sunday to remember a 22-year-old Long Beach man who investigators say was killed after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver following a fight at a bar in Santa Fe Springs earlier this week.
Ricky Fernando Muñoz died at the scene of the fight, which took place just before 1 a.m. Wednesday in the 11700 block of Telegraph Road, according to Whittier Police Department and Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner officials.
He was involved in a fight with two other men, who chased him into the street and assaulted him, police said. Muñoz was then struck by vehicle. The driver fled the scene.
Investigators subsequently arrested the two men allegedly involved in the fight on suspicion of murder.
Edward Varela, 21, of Montebello and Kyle Michael Guinea-Mangubat, 21, of Pico Rivera each face a murder charge, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday. They were scheduled to appear in Los Angeles County Superior Court to answer to the charges on Sept. 27.
Muñoz’s uncle, Angel Cabral, said the family was devastated.
“Ricky was the most harmless, loving guy,” he said. “Very passive, very fun-going. He was 120 pounds soaking wet, 5-foot-nothing, just the nicest guy. Everybody loved him.”
A fund has been established online to help Muñoz’s family cover funeral expenses.
