Army deserter charged with murder

Posted By CotoBlogzz 02-16-2010 | 05:00 PM


WESTMINSTER, CA- Pasqual Raul Loera, an unemployed Army deserter was charged today with special circumstances murder for shooting and killing a woman and critically injuring her boyfriend after posing as a potential buyer for a car the victims listed for sale and fleeing to Las Vegas. Loera, 32, Redlands, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder and one felony count of attempted murder. The special circumstances include murder during the commission of robbery and burglary. Loera is being held in Las Vegas and waiting to be extradited to Orange County to face the charges.

On Feb. 14, 2010, Loera is accused of going to the Westminster home of the victims, Julie Palasko and Dennis Koire, to potentially buy an Infiniti sedan, a car the couple had listed for sale. After entering the victims' home, the defendant is accused of shooting the victims, murdering 48-year-old Palasko, and critically injuring 49-year-old Koire. Loera is accused of stealing the car the victims were selling and fleeing the scene.

Later that day, the Loera is accused of entering a casino and acting in a way that garnered attention from the casino's security. The defendant is accused of attempting to flee from casino security in the Infiniti sedan and crashing it into a ditch. The Las Vegas Police (LVP) arrested the defendant and found that the vehicle was registered in Westminster to the victims. LVP contacted the Westminster Police Department (WPD) who went to the address the vehicle was registered and found Palasko dead. Kiore was transported to the hospital where he remains in critical condition.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Ed Berakovich at (714) 347-8492 and/or WPD Detective Alan Aoki at (714) 548-3733.