Man allegedly shot woman twice in face, dumped body in Newport Beach

A man suspected of killing a woman and dumping her body in Newport Beach after shooting another woman in the face has pleaded not guilty to murder charges.

Irvin Tellez, 25, of Garden Grove faces one felony count of murder for allegedly shooting 28-year-old Nancy Hammour of Santa Ana twice in the face, killing her, and then leaving her body under the Newport Bay Bridge on Labor Day.

Prosecutors also charged Tellez with one felony count of attempted murder for allegedly shooting another woman in the face earlier that same night. He pleaded not guilty Friday in Orange County Superior Court.

Jamie Prieto Rocha, 40, of Santa Ana, who was also charged in the case, appeared in court Friday but did not enter a plea, the Daily Pilot reported.

Rocha, who went by the nickname “Slimmer,” and Tellez -- known as “Lil Speedy” and “Speedy” -- were part of the same Santa Ana gang, police say.

The Orange County district attorney’s office said Rocha, Tellez and Hammour were driving in Santa Ana shortly after midnight on Labor Day when they saw a woman, identified by authorities as 31-year-old Elizabeth G., standing on the curb waiting for a friend to pick her up.

Rocha and Tellez started a conversation with the woman and then shot her in the face with a 9-millimeter handgun, according to the district attorney’s office.

Elizabeth G. was transported to the hospital and survived the gunshot wound, police said.

Authorities said that as the group left the scene, Tellez turned the firearm on Hammour and shot her in the face. Still alive, she slumped onto the back floorboard, and Tellez shot her in the face a second time, killing her, authorities allege.

Prosecutors say the two men then drove to Newport Beach and dumped Hammour’s body near the Newport Bay Bridge off Coast Highway, where passersby found it at 8:45 a.m.

Hammour was identified in September in an indictment against more than 100 members or associates of a prison gang accused of running drugs, ordering beatings and keeping a list of people it wanted killed.

Hammour was allegedly part of a crew that distributed methamphetamine and heroin.

Newport and Santa Ana police have said her killing isn’t connected to the indictment.

Rocha and Tellez remain in custody in lieu of $1-million bail.

If convicted, prosecutors say Tellez faces 25 years to life in state prison.

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Hannah Fry is a Times Community News staff writer.