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New Details Released In Deadly Road-Rage Case

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Police released new details Tuesday in the arrest of an 18-year-old man who allegedly murdered a pizza delivery man.

Murder charges were officially filed Monday against Jose Beltran, a known gang member, for the death of Juan David Vasquez, 20.

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KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports.

Vasquez was shot in the head in what authorities are calling a road-rage incident while driving two co-workers home in the early morning hours of August 7. The youngest of four children, Vasquez worked two jobs to help support his family. He was a bus boy at one restaurant and delivered pizzas for another.

LAPD officials say good old-fashioned police work led to Beltran's arrest.

Rampart detectives originally pulled Beltran over on Aug. 19 and found that he didn't have a license and had a gun under his seat.

That night, Northeast detectives learned the man Rampart officers arrested on weapons charges matched the description of suspect who murdered Vasquez at the intersection of Silver Lake Boulevard and West Scott Place.

"Using excellent investigative techniques, detectives were able to identify the suspect as Jose Beltran," Capt. William Murphy said.

Beltran lives with his mother, not far from the crime scene police said. Officials said Beltran was identified as the murder suspect by two witnesses.

"He shot at one person. What's to keep him from shooting at sombebody else? Nothing," Det. Jose Carillo said.

Beltran is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. He is being held at the Los Angeles County Jail on $1 million bail.

Vasquez's mother took her son off life support on her birthday. She returned his body to Mexico last week for burial.

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