Local News in Brief : Pacoima Man Held in Pregnant Wife’s Death

A Pacoima man was in custody Sunday after allegedly shooting his pregnant wife in the stomach, authorities said.

Agustin Miranda, 23, was being held without bail at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Division jail after being charged with the murder Saturday of Rebecca Espinoza, 27, said Sgt. Cary Krebs.

Espinoza, who was eight months pregnant, died just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday during emergency surgery at Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, said Pam Appleton, supervising nurse. Espinoza had been shot in the abdomen, she said.

Doctors at the hospital performed a Caesarean section on the mother, but the fetus was stillborn, Appleton said. Espinoza was pronounced dead minutes later.

Police also may file a second murder charge against Miranda in the unborn child’s death, Krebs said. No motive for the attack was known, police said.

Miranda was taken into custody after police responded to a 6:25 p.m. report of an assault in a residence on the 14200 block of Daventry Street in Pacoima.