CA - Aiden Leos, 6, fatally shot in road rage confrontation, Orange, 21 May 2021 *Arrests*

[Cryptic]

It most definitely was witnessed. ?

I hope so, but I think that could depend on how "dramatic" the circumstances were.

A scenario featuring attention grabbing swerving, acceleration and braking, and the perpetrator posturing or actually attempting to aim the weapon out the window while driving would get witnessed in the true sense of the word.

But.... a scenario featuring a single merge, a swerve, followed by the perpetrator driving past and firing one shot into the trunk with out posturing and with out extended arm aiming etc. would not draw alot of attention.

I am thinking that the second scenario is more likely. The perpetrator shot into the side of the trunk area while driving by. This could support that the perpetrator was not fully trying to kill an occupant. Rather, he was going to shoot into the side of trunk as a warning. He may not have seen the car seat, then misjudged the angle.


This, would, of course makes no difference in regards to punishment. The more severe, the better.

 

[spivey]

Has anyone seen or heard a description of the driver or shooter? If it’s known that the driver was female and the passenger was male, it seems reasonable that you would know at least a little more of a description, in my opinion. I guess it is possible that no additional description exists due to fear, shock or even excessive window tinting.

 

[Cryptic]

I agree. I was going to mention it, but it still fits for Vegas....along with every other type of motor vehicle.

I agree in that Las Vegas is more likely. It looks like the description seems to be "later model, white sedan" rather than VW wagon.

Maybe.....play the odds and hope for a lucky break:

- There are alot of hotels in Vegas, but exclude the ones that are too up market for most people. Likewise, exclude the obvious dives and the "over sixty" ones.

- That leaves a huge number of mid level hotels. But...... the possible arrival time can be estimated with pretty good accuracy. Perhaps 12:30-1:00 arrival on Friday afternoon?

- There are cameras everywhere at Hotels / Casinos. Look for arrivals of late model white sedans with CA plates occupied by a younger couple. Still a huge number, but it is finite. Hotels maybe glad to assign staff to screen footage.

- Once suspect cars are identified, possible names and thus addresses can be obtained from the hotels. Maybe look for behavior oddities. Stay extensions for time to "think". Or, key logs show partied late on Friday. But... stayed in the room on Saturday or Sunday after they saw the news. Started ordering room service meals etc. Hotel staff can also assist with key logs oddities.

 

[al66pine]

Paint Color?

... VIN numbers contain a lot information if one knows how to read them. This information includes make, model and original color. VIN numbers are part of registration records which are kept in Sacramento....

@Cryptic sbm Thanks for your post & data mining idea. Concept of using "color" from 17 alphanumeric digit VIN to match other factors to ID the car? Yes, a good idea, but seems it is not avail as part of the VIN afaik.

At time of manu, US auto makers do not assign a code as part of the VIN to designate exterior paint color of each vehicle, or at least thru online searches, I had no luck finding either a fed regulation* mandating this for US manu's or examples of VW** assigning color codes in its recent vehicles.

It's possible the CA registration database itself has the paint color but the examples of CA title documents & registration cards*** do not reflect paint color.

I can't think of any databases w paint color which might be used to narrow down the cars. Could be overlooking it; maybe someone else can think of it. my2ct
_________________________________________________
* National Highway Traffic Safety Administration FMVSS 115, Part 565
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)
Since 1954, US auto manu's have used VINs, w ea manu'r developing & using its own VIN configuration until model year 1981, when NHTS reg's established a fixed format.
^ Vehicle identification number - Wikipedia
I think pre-1981, some car manu's did specify paint color in their self-developed VIN codes.
**Ex: Volkswagen VIN Breakdown, U.S. Multi-Purpose Vehicles, 2020. See page 2, no color shown.
https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/mid/home/displayfile/51441807-8323-4e06-a14e-0b61f59080c7
*** How to Fill Out & Transfer a Car Title | All You Need To Know In 2021
Renew Your Vehicle Registration - Skip The Line

 

[4mouse]

Has anyone seen or heard a description of the driver or shooter? If it’s known that the driver was female and the passenger was male, it seems reasonable that you would know at least a little more of a description, in my opinion. I guess it is possible that no additional description exists due to fear, shock or even excessive window tinting.

No there has not been any description other than the mother reporting that it was a male and female, with the female being the driver. And a white sedan. Possibly a VW.
Not one thing that could describe an approximate age range, hair color or length, skin tone etc.
The ONLY thing released to the public, for their assistance in identifying the suspects in the shooting are “male and female”.
I think that’s why police are begging for witnesses that were on that road, at that time. They WANT to catch the shooter. I cannot imagine them withholding any that was given to them, while simultaneously asking for the public’s help in IDing shooter.

 

[Cryptic]

Paint Color?
@Cryptic sbm Thanks for your post & data mining idea. Concept of using "color" from 17 alphanumeric digit VIN to match other factors to ID the car? Yes, a good idea, but seems it is not avail as part of the VIN afaik.

Good research. As your research discovered, VIN numbers do not give the color directly.

But...... VIN numbers can be used to obtain the paint code / color of the individual vehicle using other sources maintained by the manufacturer and dealers.

As a result, VIN numbers indirectly contain the paint color of the car associated with the VIN.

Paint Code by VIN - Where and How to Find It Yourself (Guide)

The data mining possibility would then require an intermediate step as the VIN numbers would need to be run through a separate data base maintained by the manufacturer / dealers.

 

[spivey]

[QUOTE="4mouse, post: 16836704, member: 260179"....
I think that’s why police are begging for witnesses that were on that road, at that time. They WANT to catch the shooter. I cannot imagine them withholding any that was given to them, while simultaneously asking for the public’s help in IDing shooter.[/QUOTE]

I definitely don’t think they are withholding anything that would help identify the person responsible. I have no doubt they are doing all they can.

For 8 years I traveled the 55/91 daily. I would routinely looks at live traffic cameras on the internet to see how painful the commute would be that day. Looking at the Caltrans traffic cam site, I count 7 cameras between the 22 and Chapman Ave (where shooting occurred), all of which are currently functioning. I’ll admit, I don’t know If they were all functioning the day of the shooting. I’m also not sure if these feeds are recorded and stored. If the video is retained, it would probably have been one of the 1st things LE would check. I’m holding out hope that these traffic cameras will prove useful in some way. MOO

ETA: After re-reading my post, i do seem to be insinuating that LE is withholding information. That isn’t my intention or belief. I guess it’s just interesting to me that the genders of the driver and shooter are known, but not hair color, skin tone, etc. I’m not sure what to make of it, if anything.

 

[4mouse]

I don’t think the police are withholding knowledge of the description either. At all.
I just think that’s all the mother of Aiden gave them. Male and female.
I would think if she saw enough of them to determine gender, she should also have seen enough of them to give a bit more detail.
Who’s to say in a situation like this what or how one remembers things ‍

 

[serialfarter]

‘Turn yourselves in,’ Orange County DA tells 55 Freeway shooting suspects – Orange County Register

Orange County DA Todd Spitzer said they know the man is the shooter and the woman is the driver. He didn't explain how he knew this and seems to be sparring with the Los Angeles DA, so this has officially become a pissing match.

I honestly do not fully trust O.C. law enforcement -- I'm new to websleuths, so if I'm making some noob mistakes in my bias, my apologies, but I've lived in this county most of my life and law enforcement here aren't the most honest. My opinion, but this latest bit of news points at withholding information from the public.

Reward is up to $310,000.

 

[4mouse]

‘Turn yourselves in,’ Orange County DA tells 55 Freeway shooting suspects – Orange County Register

Orange County DA Todd Spitzer said they know the man is the shooter and the woman is the driver. He didn't explain how he knew this and seems to be sparring with the Los Angeles DA, so this has officially become a pissing match.

I honestly do not fully trust O.C. law enforcement -- I'm new to websleuths, so if I'm making some noob mistakes in my bias, my apologies, but I've lived in this county most of my life and law enforcement here aren't the most honest. My opinion, but this latest bit of news points at withholding information from the public.

Reward is up to $310,000.

‘Turn yourselves in,’ Orange County DA tells 55 Freeway shooting suspects – Orange County Register

Orange County DA Todd Spitzer said they know the man is the shooter and the woman is the driver. He didn't explain how he knew this and seems to be sparring with the Los Angeles DA, so this has officially become a pissing match.

I honestly do not fully trust O.C. law enforcement -- I'm new to websleuths, so if I'm making some noob mistakes in my bias, my apologies, but I've lived in this county most of my life and law enforcement here aren't the most honest. My opinion, but this latest bit of news points at withholding information from the public.

Reward is up to $310,000.

Thanks for the link to the article.
The words the DA used were interesting.
Considering the case is being considered a road rage shooting.
He said things like (I am paraphrasing):
Turn yourself in. Explain why you did this.
I will give you a chance to explain what motivated you. If you don’t we are throwing the book at you.

Things that make me go hmmmmm?
The description (or lack there of) of the 2 people in the car.
The DA stating that the shooter was the male in the passenger seat?
Also the fact that the DA gave the press conference, as opposed to law enforcement, is interesting.
If the DA is getting it nvolved already, without suspects or anyone in custody with charges filed…..? I am thinking they have an idea who is behind it. MOO (my opinion only)

 

[spivey]

Here we go. Besides the car, knowing they took the 91 East at the major interchange a few miles away could be big.

Vegas is still a possibility.

Aiden Leos shooting: CHP releases image of car involved in killing of 6-year-old boy on OC freeway

 

[Cryptic]

If it’s known that the driver was female and the passenger was male.....

I really like your 'Vegas for the weekend possibility.

In the cases married couples and boyfriend and girlfriends, the male will usually drive. This seems habitual with with most couples unless the drive is very long. In this case, the female was driving. So, the "habit" was not being followed. Maybe....

- Male was tired from work on Thursday (possible, but most males would probably still drive unless they were beyond tired).

- Male cant legally drive except to work. Perhaps he has DWI restrictions, or a suspended license from too many violations, constant lack of insurance etc.

Thus... going to 'Vegas for the weekend. But cant take a chance of being stopped by police or CHP when obviously not going to work. So, the gf drives.

 

[spivey]

The following post contains a healthy dose of my opinions.

I keep going back to the fact that there were two people in the suspect vehicle that morning. I wonder where they were headed. Were they going to work, Vegas, on their way to sell, buy or steal drugs, or something else? If the purpose of their drive didn’t include committing any felonies, I feel good about the driver cracking and telling the story to someone(s). If they headed out that morning to rob and/or kill, obviously the chances of the driver cracking is reduced.

Either way, I really feel like the search for these @&%#! will be successful sooner than later. MOO.

 

[Inobu]

The VW can be further narrowed down by its trim type.

Here is the CHP image of the car

The image shows a 5 spoke wheel and the roof has a black plane indicating a panoramic sunroof.

This is the Trim option found for the 2018 Sportwagen.

The S version does not have the Sunroof which leaves the SE and SEL.

The SEL has a mesh of 10 spokes. This points to the SE Trim Version.

2018 Golf Sportwagen
SE Trim
Pure White Color.


2019 Golf........is ruled out because the wheels are different.

Here is the basic Vin number
1VWDX7AUXJXXXXXXX

The X are unknown......





Inobu

 

[Gibbo214]

Good research. As your research discovered, VIN numbers do not give the color directly.

But...... VIN numbers can be used to obtain the paint code / color of the individual vehicle using other sources maintained by the manufacturer and dealers.

As a result, VIN numbers indirectly contain the paint color of the car associated with the VIN.

Paint Code by VIN - Where and How to Find It Yourself (Guide)

The data mining possibility would then require an intermediate step as the VIN numbers would need to be run through a separate data base maintained by the manufacturer / dealers.

Any panel beater or vehicle spray painter could tell you that.

 

[Inobu]

Any panel beater or vehicle spray painter could tell you that.

I gave the basic VIN which is needed by DMV. They can search the basic VIN and add Search Criteria inclusion by the zip codes in the registration.
Rarity of the car should narrow the number down to 50 if that.

There were 14,123 sold in 2018.
There are 7 colors.
Statistics states White cars make up to 20% in sales
2800 units being white.
650 dealerships in U.S. = 4 white units per dealership.
14 Dealerships in So Cal.......
4 x 14 = 56


Inobu

 

[Cryptic]

14 Dealerships in So Cal.......
4 x 14 = 56

Great work! It might be able to be broken down further......

SOCAL urban mega area is huge and the traffic is legendary. When I lived in OC, a good number of locals rarely left their immediate 'burbs because traffic could turn even minor trips into half day affairs.

So.... lets presume for a moment that they live somewhere in south Orange county, and maybe far north San Diego County. They then used a VW dealer from that area. This yields:

- 5 VW dealers selling about 20 cars. The 3 Car Max centers (late model used inventory from all over the nation) in the area may add another 1 or 2 sales possibilities. As you said, the car is rare.

Any panel beater or vehicle spray painter could tell you that.

One did. But...... I took his "You can get it from the VIN" literally and thought he meant that it was part of the VIN Code itself.

 

[Barry]

I wouldn't know where to begin, but has this vehicle/model ever been sold as a fleet vehicle (like for rental car companies)?

 

[Cryptic]

Were they going to work, Vegas, on their way to sell, buy or steal drugs, or something else?

Work?- I doubt it. Ride share partners would have turned on each other. Heck, the reward could even melt brother sister bonds (with immunity as part of the deal). Spousal ride sharers with the female driving would be rare.

Drug buy?- most involved in the trade would be crashed out at 0815 in the morning.

But.... I really like your 'Vegas get away possibility. I think you should call it in to a tip line with possibility of say a 12:30 to 1:00 'Vegas arrival at a mid range hotel.

When we lived in OC, it never occurred to my wife and I that leaving Friday morning during rush hour for 'Vegas could be advantageous traffic wise. Its, well, counter intuitive.

The police have alot of experience. But.... if they are mostly of the age, marital status and kid status that makes week end trips rare, they might not realize that 0815 can be a good time for a couple to leave for Las Vegas.

 

[Cryptic]

I wouldn't know where to begin, but has this vehicle/model ever been sold as a fleet vehicle (like for rental car companies)?

I would not think so.

Though rental car fleets do offer a variety of car ranges, they strongly prefer popular makes and models that are easy to turn over as they constantly sell portions of their inventory.

The VW in question is not a mega popular seller, thus hard to unload. Likewise, it is of a higher trim level and I bet rental companies hate paying for extra trim features.