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Police allege suspect who fatally shot man in garage also killed friend at hotel

Mathew De Diego was already in custody for another murder when detectives tied him to the shooting of a 19-year-old at a Long Beach hotel last week, police said.

Police allege suspect who fatally shot man in garage also killed friend at hotel

Police say a 19-year-old who was recently arrested on suspicion of shooting a man to death is also believed to be responsible for the slaying of another man at a Long Beach hotel last week.

Long Beach resident Mathew De Diego is accused of shooting his friend, Jaiquan Cranberry, while they were staying at a hotel in the 4100 block of Willow Street on the afternoon of July 18, according to authorities. Cranberry died after being taken to a hospital, police said.

De Diego, according to police, then fatally shot 44-year-old Long Beach resident Jeffrey Poorman near the 5900 block of Lime Avenue at around 1:30 p.m. on July 23. Though police said the two knew each other, they did not specify the nature of their relationship.

Police investigate a murder in the 5900 block of Lime Avenue Tuesday, July 23. Photo by Fernando Haro.

De Diego was arrested later that day in the 5000 block of Gardenia Avenue on suspicion of murder and his bail was set at $3 million.

He was charged with murder this week, court records show, when police on Friday announced De Diego as a suspect in Cranberry’s killing.

Detectives will present the second murder case to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office today for filing consideration, police said.

Authorities, meanwhile, continue asking anyone who may know any information of the killings to contact detectives at 562-570-7244.

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Fernando Haro has been on strike from the Long Beach Post since March 22, yet he continues to cover Long Beach unpaid. Thank him for his work.
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