Man shot dead in Vista identified; traffic incident suspected as motive

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- A 71-year-old man who shot dead in Vista Friday night has been identified by authorities.

On Sunday, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department named the victim as Vista resident Bryan Robert Hugo. He was found with a single gunshot wound near State Route 78 at the Sycamore Avenue exit and on-ramps. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

At the time of the incident, a California Highway Patrol vehicle was in the area and those officers believed they saw a vehicle that was possibly involved the crime. As explained by the sheriff’s department, the suspect vehicle fled on eastbound SR-78 with the CHP officers in pursuit. The pursuit ended in San Marcos and the two occupants were detained.

The driver, 19-year-old Joseph Freddy Cedillo, and his passenger, 18-year-old Jamal Alexander Solis, were interviewed by homicide detectives. Ultimately, Cedillo was arrested and booked into the Vista Detention Facility on suspicion of murder, and Solis was arrested and booked on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact, authorities confirmed.

In an update Sunday, authorities said there may have been a traffic related incident between the two vehicles prior to the shooting, though the circumstances and motivation are still under investigation.

As the suspects fled the scene on Sycamore Avenue, the sheriff's department said their vehicle hit multiple cars. Anyone who may be a potential victim of a hit-and-run in that area or was a witness to this shooting is encouraged to call investigators at (858) 565-5200, or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.