California just witnessed a horrific double homicide straight out of a true crime nightmare—one that played out before three helpless toddlers.
Police say 25-year-old Princess Perez is at the heart of a deadly revenge plot, allegedly enlisting her new flame, 21-year-old Ramses “Rex” Morales, to gun down her ex, Ruben Chavez, and his girlfriend, Evelyn Virgen, as their three small children cowered just steps away.
The brazen attack unfolded in San Diego’s Grant Hill neighborhood around 12:30 a.m. Monday, law enforcement officials revealed. Officers arrived after a chilling tip-off about two motionless bodies sprawled on 27th Street—one reportedly drenched in blood. Paramedics found Chavez, 31, and Virgen, 28, both dead at the scene, victims of what authorities declared as ‘homicidal violence.’
Shockingly, a minivan parked nearby held three children—each under the age of two—apparently physically unharmed but right in the heart of the carnage. Authorities quickly swooped in to place the kids in protective care, as investigators began piecing together the bloody puzzle.
Police allege Perez had a stormy custody feud with Chavez over their young son, fueling bitter animosity. Court records paint a picture of escalating tensions: Chavez was only allowed supervised visits while he fought for joint custody. When prosecutors and detectives connected the dots, Perez and Morales were quickly rounded up—nabbed as they attempted a reentry into the U.S. at the San Ysidro border crossing.
The alleged trigger man, Morales, stood before a judge Thursday and pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges: two counts of murder with special circumstances (multiple homicides) and three counts of child endangerment, local outlets KFMB and KUSI reported. Prosecutors are pulling no punches—if convicted on the top count, Morales could face the death penalty for the cold-blooded rampage. He’s accused of using a shotgun to execute Chavez and Virgen.
Meanwhile, Perez is charged as an accessory, accused of not only ferrying Morales to the murder scene but also whisking him to Mexico in the bloody aftermath. Investigators aren’t ruling out more charges as they pore over fresh evidence linked to Perez’s involvement, according to authorities.
Assistant District Attorney officials called the case ‘especially tragic,’ given its traumatic toll on the young children left orphaned and in shock. ‘It’s an incredibly sad family situation. These children have lived through unspeakable violence,’ an ADA representative said. ‘We’re committed to ensuring justice is served.’
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign started by Chavez’s cousin paints a heart-wrenching aftermath, describing how the slain couple left behind nine children in total—lives shattered by one night of unimaginable violence.
