Pastor accused of hiring hitman in bid to kill daughter’s boyfriend
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A pastor was arrested last week for an alleged murder-for-hire plot that targeted a man who dated his daughter, California police announced Tuesday.
Samuel Davalos Pasillas, 47, of Victorville, California, was arrested on March 13 for the car-to-car shooting of a man who was driving in the Riverside area on Oct. 21, 2023. The victim was struck by bullets multiple times from inside a car that pulled alongside him.
The victim survived after driving himself to the hospital.
On Tuesday, the Riverside Police Department said the shooting was part of a “murder-for-hire plot hatched” by the pastor. Pasillas is accused of paying two men to carry out the killing of his daughter’s boyfriend.
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The pastor allegedly gave the two hit men information about the boyfriend, including where he would be on the night of the shooting, according to police.
“Detectives also determined these men were paid almost $40,000 by the father and had conducted surveillance on the victim in the weeks leading up to when they shot him,” police said in a statement.
Photos from the scene show what appear to be bullet holes in the windows of the victim’s car.
Photo courtesy of the Riverside Police Department Photo courtesy of the Riverside Police Department
Pastor Rafael Parras, who runs Centro de Oración Internacional, told NBC affiliate KNBC that Pasillas has been a volunteer with the church for nearly a decade and filled in on duties when Parras was away.
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Pasillas was arrested on suspicion of solicitation for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon. Juan Manuel Cebreros, 55, of Long Beach, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon, police announced.
Both men are being held on $1 million bonds.
Pasillas and Cebreros were taken into custody on March 13 and entered not-guilty pleas to several charges during a joint arraignment, KNBC reported.
Officials are still searching for a third person wanted in connection with the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 951-353-7104.
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