A man and a woman were found shot to death just after 12:25 a.m. Monday on a Grant Hill street, and three children under age 2 were discovered unharmed in a nearby vehicle, authorities said. By Tuesday, detectives announced the arrests of two suspects in the killings.
San Diego police said officers responded to the 100 block of 27th Street near Imperial Avenue after a caller reported two people down in the roadway. The victims, identified as Ruben Chavez, 31, and Evelyn Virgen, 28, were pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives said the children were found in a van parked close to the bodies and were placed in protective custody. Investigators described the case as a double homicide and said early evidence indicated gunfire in the area shortly before officers arrived. The case unfolded quickly over two days as homicide detectives interviewed witnesses, reviewed surveillance video and coordinated with federal agents at the border.
By Tuesday afternoon, police said they had arrested Ramses “Rex” Morales, 21, and Princess Perez, 25, on suspicion of two counts of murder each. Investigators said the shootings stemmed from an ongoing dispute involving the two couples. According to police, Morales and Perez went to Mexico after the attack and were detained when they attempted to re-enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Detectives interviewed both at the crossing and booked them into county facilities. Officers said shell casings were recovered at the scene; the type of firearm has not been released. Authorities did not report any injuries to the children and said Virgen was their mother. A motive beyond the dispute has not been detailed.
Officers were dispatched at 12:26 a.m. Monday. Neighbors told reporters they heard gunfire. “Two shots,” one resident said, recalling stepping outside to the sound of sirens minutes later. Another longtime neighbor called the scene “tragic” for a block that rarely sees serious crime before dawn. Police tape blocked the intersection for hours as forensic teams photographed the roadway, marked casings and towed the van with the children’s car seats still inside. The victims were described as San Diego residents who were in a relationship. Detectives canvassed for security video from homes and businesses along Imperial Avenue and 27th Street to piece together the sequence of events.
Grant Hill sits east of downtown San Diego and is lined with older single-family homes and small apartment buildings. The early-Monday shooting drew officers from multiple divisions and the department’s homicide unit, which investigates all suspicious deaths. Cases that involve very young children prompt automatic notifications to child welfare authorities and victim services, which arrange temporary care and counseling. Violent-crime detectives frequently coordinate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection when suspects may attempt to cross into or out of Mexico from San Diego; the San Ysidro Port of Entry is among the busiest land crossings in the United States.
Police said the arrests came after detectives determined the suspects were in the area when the shooting occurred and left before officers arrived. After the couple was detained at the border, detectives conducted interviews and secured booking on the murder counts. Prosecutors had not announced formal charges as of late Tuesday. Officials did not release information on potential accomplices, a getaway vehicle, or how many shots were fired. Autopsies are pending with the county medical examiner to confirm causes and approximate time of death. Investigators said they are still collecting footage and requesting any additional witnesses to contact the homicide unit or Crime Stoppers.
On Tuesday morning, a small memorial formed near the curb where investigators marked evidence the day before. A neighbor described seeing uniformed officers lift the children from the van and carry them to waiting units. “They looked so tiny,” the neighbor said. Another resident said patrols increased overnight, with squad cars cruising the block and officers knocking on doors to ask for any camera footage. By midday, traffic along Imperial Avenue had returned to normal as technicians wrapped their work and the last of the tape came down.
As of Tuesday evening, Morales and Perez were in custody on suspicion of murder, and police said the children remained safe under county supervision. The next expected milestone is the district attorney’s charging decision and an initial court appearance, likely later this week. Detectives said they will provide updates on any additional evidence, including ballistics, surveillance images and the results of the autopsies, as the case moves forward.
Author note: Last updated January 20, 2026.