A video laden with expletives and racial slurs that was filmed outside an Orange County restaurant helped apprehend two people suspected in the killing of a Cerritos man, authorities said this week.
The video, which has since been taken down, was originally uploaded to TikTok by a user going by “Leti T.” The video has since been posted to other accounts on the platform and shows “Leti T” and a companion being called racial slurs by a man and a woman outside a Panera Bread in Cypress.
“I never wanted to use it as content to begin with (that’s certainly not my theme), but let me tell you how happy I am that because of that video, justice is being served,” “Leti T” wrote in the caption of another TikTok video uploaded Thursday.
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman announced Wednesday that the pair seen in video had been charged with murder in connection with the death of 66-year-old Cuauhtemoc Garcia, who was killed after he left his car to take a walk along the Coyote Creek bike path on Feb. 25.
Prosecutors say the TikTok video helped them crack the case.
“This was a senseless and brutal act of violence that took the life of a husband, father and businessman who simply wanted to enjoy a peaceful walk,” Hochman said in a statement. “My sympathies go out to his family as they grieve this unimaginable loss. We will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law to hold those responsible accountable.”
The pair in the video, identified as siblings John Chong Moon, 54, and Cindy Kim, 58, were arrested Monday.
Garcia had left his car to walk along the Cerritos bike path on Feb. 25 when Moon and Kim allegedly tried to steal his car, prosecutors said. When Garcia refused to hand over his keys, prosecutors say, the pair shot him.
Moon and Kim were charged with murder and attempted second-degree robbery, according to authorities. If convicted, they face life in prison.
They were scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, but that hearing was postponed.
“I’ve been thinking about the Garcia family since I heard from the homicide detective and can’t imagine what they’ve been through,” “Leti T” wrote on TikTok. “They didn’t deserve this. He was just going out for a walk in the middle of the day.”
