Estranged Montebello man wanted for murder of pregnant wife

MONTEBELLO, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - Police on Tuesday circulated a photo of a 26-year-old reputed gang member suspected of killing his estranged wife in Montebello.

Christopher Michael Diaz allegedly shot Roxann Acosta just before 10 p.m. Sunday at a residence in the 1200 block of Victoria Avenue.

Officers who responded to a shots-fired call found the victim dead inside the home.

The shooting happened during some sort of argument Sunday night at the apartment of Diaz's mom, Frances Diaz. When we knocked on her door she told us, "I'm mourning for her. We loved her. What my son did was wrong."

Acosta's mother, Alicia Acosta, spoke to the media Tuesday night.

"I always feared him, that's why he wasn't welcome into the family," she said. "I know he's out there, he's out there somewhere watching. I know he's watching all this, yeah, look what he did, he's a monster, look what he did, a freakin monster."

Acosta described her daughter as an amazing mother who will be sorely missed, and broke down in tears when asked how she was going to tell her grandchildren their mother is gone.

"When the time comes, I don't know, I really don't know," she said. "She left three beautiful kids, she was pregnant, going on her 4th, great mom, had everything going for her."

Friends and relatives say the two had been apart for some time, but she was 8-weeks pregnant with her fourth child from a current boyfriend.

The way friends describe it, Sunday night there was a remembrance in apartment #4 (the Diaz's apartment) for another of her sons who was killed some time ago.

Police say the two had spent the day together and ended up back at his mom's apartment.
Diaz says, "she was here. She wanted to be here with him." Police say when they arrived after getting a 911 call they found the 28-year old mother of three suffering from a gunshot wound.

"Tiff" is a friend of Roxy's. She says, "I'm speechless right now. I don't even know what to say. But, she didn't deserve ay of this. If anything, she was a good woman with a good heart."

"And, her kids were her world," says cousin Tina Delgado. "That's what hurts so much is that that was all that they had."

Meanwhile, the search is on for Christopher Diaz. Diaz was described as Hispanic, about 5 feet 5-inches tall and 145-pounds, with brown hair and eyes. Police said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Montebello Police Sgt. Marc Marty tells FOX 11, "He has an extensive arrest record and he's been arrested for several violent crimes. One, specifically, was an assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. Several different drug charges as well as weapons violations."

Shortly after our conversation with her Frances Diaz told us she didn't know where her son was. She added, "Wish I knew I'd turn him in myself. I'm mourning for Roxy. I don't have a son. I don't have a son." She added, she'd turn him in if she could.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts was asked to call Montebello police Detective Ruben Zabala at (323) 887-1254 or dial 911.

Tipsters who want to remain anonymous can also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.

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