Arrests made in shooting of Fallbrook man

ESCONDIDO – A man and a woman, both under 20, were jailed today, June 11, in connection with the shooting death of a 21-year-old Fallbrook man earlier this week along an Escondido roadway, authorities said.

Steven LaRussa was shot multiple times on Gamble Street near East El Norte Parkway about 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 and later died in a hospital, Escondido police Lt. Eric Skaja said.

An investigation led police to Escondido residents Juan Maldonado, 18 and Jessica Espinoza-Contreras, 19, but it was not immediately clear how officers came to suspect they were involved with LaRussa's death.

Skaja said it appeared that LaRussa was intentionally targeted. "Early indications are that this was not a random act of violence, but LaRussa and the suspects had some unknown past history,'' he said.

Skaja said both Maldonado and Espinoza-Contreras have been booked into the Vista detention Facility on suspicion of murder. The investigation is continuing. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Escondido Police Detective John O’Donnell, at (760) 839-4756 or Detective Nick Rodelo at (760) 839-4422.