LOS ANGELES, CA – A 43-year-old Anaheim man was arrested on suspicion of murder after his girlfriend was found dead with traumatic injuries inside a motel room, authorities said.
The Anaheim Police Department identified the suspect as Oscar Velasquez and the victim as Jasmine Miranda, 38, also of Anaheim.
Officers were called around 12:51 p.m. on Aug. 18 to the Kona Motel at 331 N. Brookhurst Street for a welfare check.
Inside one of the rooms, officers found Miranda suffering from what police described as apparent traumatic injuries.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
No suspect was located at the motel when officers arrived.
Information provided with the case indicates Miranda and Velasquez were in a dating relationship.
Police have not publicly detailed the nature of Miranda’s injuries, disclosed a cause of death or said what investigators believe happened inside the room before officers arrived.
The department said detectives conducted witness interviews and reviewed surveillance footage as they worked to identify a suspect.
That investigation led detectives to Velasquez.
“Through an extensive investigation, witness interviews, and review of surveillance footage, detectives identified Velasquez as the suspect,” the department said in its official homicide announcement.
Investigators then turned to vehicle-tracking technology in an effort to locate him.
With assistance from the Anaheim Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center, detectives used automated license plate reader technology to identify a vehicle associated with Velasquez and track his location, according to police.
Anaheim describes its Real Time Crime Center as a technology and intelligence hub designed to provide officers and detectives with real-time information during active and recently reported crimes.
The center can combine information from law enforcement databases, analytical systems and other investigative technology to assist officers in locating suspects and responding to developing incidents.
Anaheim has also continued expanding its automated license plate reader network.
City records show the Anaheim City Council authorized more than $115,000 in donated funding in 2025 for additional automated license plate reader cameras, equipment and services intended to support the Police Department and its Real Time Crime Center.
In the Miranda investigation, police said the technology helped detectives identify Velasquez’s vehicle and ultimately locate him in Santa Ana.
At approximately 7 p.m. on Aug. 19, officers took Velasquez into custody without incident.
He was initially booked at the Anaheim Detention Facility on suspicion of murder before being held in the Orange County Jail, police said.
Authorities have not disclosed where in Santa Ana he was found or whether he was alone at the time of his arrest.
They also have not said whether any weapon or other evidence was recovered when he was taken into custody.
Police described Velasquez as having an “extensive criminal background,” citing previous convictions involving assault with a deadly weapon, narcotics violations and possession of firearms.
Those previous convictions are separate from the current homicide investigation and do not establish guilt in Miranda’s death.
Velasquez is presumed innocent of the new allegation unless and until he is convicted in court.
The case was referred to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration.
Anaheim police initially said Velasquez was scheduled for arraignment on Aug. 21. The department’s public release reviewed for this report did not provide an updated court disposition following that scheduled hearing.
The investigation remains active.
Detectives have not publicly identified a motive or described what happened in the hours before Miranda was found.
Police also have not said who requested the welfare check or how long Miranda may have been inside the motel room before officers arrived.
Investigators have not disclosed whether surveillance footage captured Velasquez entering or leaving the property or whether it recorded any interaction between him and Miranda.
The department has said only that surveillance footage, witness interviews and other investigative work led detectives to identify him as the suspect.
The case is being handled through Anaheim’s Investigations Division, which is responsible for follow-up investigations involving homicides, major assaults, robberies and other serious crimes.
The city’s current public-safety budget identifies homicide investigations as part of the department’s broader Investigations Division responsibilities, alongside forensics and other specialized investigative units.
Anaheim police maintain a dedicated Homicide Detail, which can be reached at 714-765-1944, according to the department’s official directory.
For information specifically related to Miranda’s death, however, police are asking members of the public to contact the department’s main line at 714-765-1900.
The Anaheim Police Department contact page lists the same number for general police assistance and directs emergencies to 911.
Anonymous information can also be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS (1-855-847-6227).
Police have not announced any additional suspects.
Miranda’s exact cause of death and the circumstances leading to her fatal injuries remain under investigation.
