Oxnard Man Pleads Not Guilty To Murder In Death Of Ojai Valley Wolman

Tuesday April 01, 2025

     Updated--The suspect arrested in connection with the killing of an Ojai Valley woman last month has pleaded not guilty to murder.

     In addition to denying the murder charge, 29-year-old Ricardo Ortega of Oxnard also denied the special allegations of using a deadly weapon and that the crimes involved great bodily injury.

     Ortega was arrested a month ago.

     Detectives say victim and suspect knew each other.

     Captain Cyrus Zadeh told KVTA News that shortly after 4 PM on March 1st they received a 9-1-1 call from a resident in the 500 block of North La Luna Avenue in Meiners Oaks requesting that deputies check the well being of a neighbor.

     When deputies responded to that location they found a 42-year-old Sandra Alejo in the garage of her residence.

     She was pronounced dead at the scene.
     Zadeh says because of the suspicious circumstances surrounding the situation Major Crimes detectives were called in and they determined the woman was likely the victim of a homicide.

     Meanwhile, Ortega remains in the Ventura County Jail with no chance of bail and is due back in court on June 16th.