San Diego County DA's office honors six Citizens of Courage

The San Diego County District Attorney's Office honored six local residents Monday for acts of bravery.

The Citizens of Courage Awards, held annually by the office during National Crime Victims' Rights Week, recognizes local victims and witnesses who display courage in the face of danger.

The 2024 honorees recognized during Monday's 34th annual awards ceremony were:

• Melissa Spinelli, who was walking her dog in San Marcos when she witnessed a brutal stabbing that left a young man dead.

The D.A.'s Office said Spinelli's eyewitness account of the defendant and his vehicle helped police capture the suspect. Spinelli also chased off the attacker by threatening to sic her dog onto him, causing the defendant to flee.

She then called police and remained with the mortally wounded victim, 20-year-old Aris Keshishian, and heard his last words, "Tell my mother I love her. Tell my family I love them."

The D.A.'s Office also credited her with testifying during the defendant's trial.

"I had to do that for his family. I had to do that for Aris," Spinelli said. "I had to do that for any person who goes through something like that, and I had to be able to live with myself.. and if I didn't do that, if I didn't help that family, then I shouldn't have even been there (but) I figured I was there for a reason."

The defendant, Kellon Talib Razdan, was convicted by a Vista jury of first-degree murder and sentenced to 26 years to life in state prison.

• Antonio Jasso, who drove after a drunken driver who struck and killed a toddler in City Heights, and was able to record the defendant's face and his license plate.

Jasso witnessed an SUV hit 19-month-old Annaleeh Rodarte on Redwood Street, then flee the scene. Jasso then took off in his own vehicle after the driver.

"Honestly, I felt helpless seeing the girl, but I was angry. And I wanted him to see what he had just done," Jasso said.

Jasso was able to follow the SUV to where the defendant, Margarito Angeles Vargas, stopped to purchase food from a street vendor.

In a recording on Jasso's cell phone, which was played during Angeles Vargas' trial, Jasso confronts the defendant and tells him in Spanish, "You ran over the girl."

Angeles Vargas responds, "You are crazy" and drives off. With the license plate captured on Jasso's recording, police were able to track the SUV to Angeles Vargas, and arrested him at his home.

Angeles Vargas was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 19 years to life in state prison.

Jasso said, "I feel that I did the right thing, because if everyone, seeing something wrong, we turn around or turn our heads the other way, this will never get fixed."

Tiffany Murphy, a security guard at a downtown San Diego apartment building who was stabbed while trying to assist another woman who had been stabbed moments earlier.

Murphy was making her rounds at The Link apartment when a bleeding woman ran towards her pleading for help. The woman had been stabbed in the neck and was being pursued by the man who had attacked her.

Murphy, who was not provided a weapon as part of her guard duties, called police and stood between the woman and her attacker until officers could respond. While on the phone with police dispatch, the man then stabbed Murphy in the back.

Police officers arrived and arrested the defendant, who was later convicted of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of battery, and sentenced to eight years in prison.

"If somebody needs help and I'm able to help them, I would put myself in a situation to help them even if it was risking my own safety," Murphy said.

• Natalie Ortiz, Rachel Martinez, and Sophie Martinez, who Ortiz's boyfriend attempted to kill in Lemon Grove.

During a 2021 shooting at the victims' home, 15-year-old Rachel Martinez was left paralyzed from the neck down and Ortiz nearly died from multiple gunshot wounds.

The trio were credited with testifying against Ortiz's boyfriend, Pablo Ramirez, who was convicted of attempted murder and other charges and sentenced to 116 years to life in state prison.

Prosecutors alleged that after shooting Ortiz, he opened the door to the girls' bedroom and told Ortiz, "Guess who's next."

Rachel was shot first in the elbow. Sophie was able to escape the home and was not struck by the bullets fired at her. Rachel was then shot in the back of her neck, severing her spinal cord.

Ramirez was arrested by sheriff's deputies shortly after the shooting.

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement, "The six individuals we are honoring today were placed in dangerous or trying circumstances and responded with courage. By recognizing them, we're also shining a light on the many courageous crime victims our office serves in the pursuit of justice every year, and the importance of supporting victims' rights, which is an integral part of our mission at the District Attorney's Office. I am very proud and grateful for the tireless service performed by our victim advocates on behalf of crime victims."