Man pleads not guilty to murder in shooting deaths of couple in Grant Hill

A man who allegedly gunned down a couple in the Grant Hill neighborhood pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder charges, while his girlfriend pleaded not guilty to being an accessory for allegedly driving him out of the country shortly after the killings.

Ramses “Rex” Morales, 21, and his girlfriend, Princess Garcia Perez, 25, were arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry shortly after 10 a.m. Monday in connection with the shooting deaths of Ruben Chavez, 31, and Evelyn Virgen, 28, according to the San Diego Police Department.

Chavez and Virgen were found shot just before 12:30 a.m. earlier that day on 27th Street. Police said the victims were found lying in the roadway. In a nearby parked vehicle, three of Virgen’s children — all around the age of 2 or younger — were physically unharmed.

Police said that Chavez and Perez previously dated and that the victims had “been involved in an ongoing dispute” with Morales and Perez, but did not elaborate on the nature of that dispute.

Along with the murder charges, Morales faces three counts of child endangerment in connection with Virgen’s children and special circumstance allegations that could make him eligible for the death penalty, should prosecutors pursue capital punishment.

Those special circumstance allegations include one for committing multiple murders and another for the killing of a witness, which Doyle said pertained to Virgen. It was unclear what exactly Virgen is alleged to have witn...