A young Pomona couple, days away from welcoming their first child, were bystanders in a high-speed police pursuit that took their lives, and prosecutors have filed murder charges against the man accused of causing the crash.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified Jennifer Alejandra Loera-Zarco, 25, and Marc Anthony Trejo Saldívar, 26, as the couple killed Wednesday in the crash.
Family members said Loera-Zarco was pregnant, and the couple had been preparing to welcome their baby boy next Friday.
On Friday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed a felony complaint charging Marshall Campbell Judson, 31, with two counts of murder in their deaths, as well as a third count of murder in the death of the unborn child.
Judson also faces additional charges, including fleeing police in a vehicle causing death, assault on a peace officer and a firearm-related offense. He is being held on $6 million bail and is expected to appear at an arraignment hearing Monday at the Pomona Courthouse, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Tony Trejo, Marc’s father, says the couple had spent their final days preparing for their baby’s arrival.
“He had just finished setting up the bassinet, shelves, and his baby basket,” said Trejo.
Marc, known to family and friends as “Tiger,” had been working to build an accessory dwelling unit at the family’s Santa Ana home, where he planned to live with Loera-Zarco and their newborn.
Earlier that day, after working on the ADU, Marc and Lorea-Zarco left to get food at an In-N-Out in Pomona, Trejo said. The police pursuit unfolded nearby as the couple pulled out of the drive-thru. Moments later, the car crashed into their vehicle, Trejo said.
Trejo said he did not get a chance to say goodbye to Marc that day. Marc’s mother, Sandra Saldívar, had briefly seen him earlier, exchanging a quick hello and goodbye before he left.
Marc worked for the City of Pomona and also did freelance social media work, according to his father. As a soccer player, he earned a full-ride scholarship to Vanguard University and later completed his master’s degree in business administration at Hope International University.
Loera-Zarco worked as a student aide with the Pomona Unified School District, supporting children on the autism spectrum, according to Trejo.
“Together, they were building a future and excited to welcome their baby boy into this world,” a relative wrote in a GoFundMe post. The fundraiser, organized by Marc’s mother, describes the loss of “a beautiful family.”
This story originally appeared on LA Times
