Ashley Moran (left), murdered 13 months ago, was the youngest of Aurora Cantero’s (right) eight children. An arrest has been made in the murder of Moran whose body was found in Obergon Park March 15, 2014.

SPPD: Thirteen months later
family still grieves loss of Ashley Moran

April 15, 2015
Santa Paula News

Aurora Cantero has loving children and grandchildren and a neat, new home, but there is an ache in her heart that will never go away: exactly 13 months ago on March 15, 2014, Aurora’s daughter Ashley Moran was found dead in Obergon Park. 

Ashley, 21, who had dreams of becoming a medical assistant and was in the very early stages of a pregnancy, was bludgeoned to death; puncture wounds were also found on her body that had been concealed on a sloping hillside in some brush.

A neighborhood resident walking his dog found Ashley’s body.

Her boyfriend, 18-year-old Antonio “Anthony” Magana, a documented gang associate, was arrested for suspicion of murder almost five months to the day that Ashley’s body was found; he remains in Ventura County Jail with bail set at $1 million while he awaits trial.

SPPD Commander Ish Cordero said it is likely Magana killed Ashley to keep her pregnancy secret from another girlfriend that he fathered a child with, a relationship he told Ashley did not exist. 

Whatever the motive, “I’m just taking it day by day,” said Aurora, who admits to some bad days thinking of Ashley, the youngest of her eight children.

“One day, the whole day,” she admitted, “I was just crying, remembering a lot of things.”

After the murder Aurora couldn’t sleep or eat, lost weight and had trouble taking fluids. She has seen a physician and a grief counselor but murder has an emotional toll on loved ones — especially parents — that no one can imagine, a mixture of grief, frustration, anger, longing, questions, sometimes even guilt for the little things that were left unsaid or undone.

With a murder, said Santa Paula Police Detective Paul Spencer, “Their grieving doesn’t end … ”

His own extended family experienced such a loss: “With a murder it’s not like losing a loved one to natural causes,” and although still a painful loss, one “you gradually accept,” over time. 

Not so with a murder that has its own deeper level of shock and denial: “It’s much more difficult to deal with the murder of a loved one,” said Spencer. 

Murder is unbelievable, unexpected and tragic — and unlike other deaths it is also a crime, which puts an added burden on families that even if not finding closure can at least find justice.

Ashley had seven older siblings and their families also mourn, but they worry most about their mother: “They don’t want to say too much because I start crying,” said Aurora. “I have to be strong sometimes,” such as when a daughter-in-law and grandson said they had dreamed of Ashley and her quiet, shy smile.

“I kept strong,” but Aurora said it was difficult to keep her composure. 

“My twins, it’s really hard on them, they’ve taken it very hard … ” 

The twins are in their 30s, and Ashley “Really was the baby of the family, she came much later than the others,” who remember well playing with their baby sister and watching her grow into a young woman who loved leopards that were featured on her Facebook page, where she listed herself as “Shy Love”.

Ashley was the only child still at home with Aurora while she made plans to study to become a medical assistant, a career inspired by her personal physician.

“Ashley even told Dr. Connell Davis that she wanted to become a medical assistant because of her … ” 

Dr. Davis, who practices at Santa Paula Medical Clinic was flattered and encouraged Ashley in her career plans.

Then Ashley was murdered: “Dr. Davis called Ashley her ‘Little Birdie,’ ” said Aurora, “she was so sorry about what happened, just shocked and so sad,” about the girl who had been her patient for years.

Aurora has moved from where she and Ashley lived but she can’t leave her heartache behind: “I keep busy, my sister invites me for dinner or we just go to the stores,” whether to shop or just browse. 

Sometimes on Saturday evening Aurora attends New Life Church, invited initially by Police Chief Steve McLean.

“The chief has been very nice to me, all the people at the church and the pastor have been super nice to me,” said Aurora.

Santa Paula Police Detective Paul Spencer is the lead on the case and Deputy DA John Barrick the prosecutor; Barrick does not expect Magana will go to trial on the murder charge he has denied guilt for until next year. 

Magana is scheduled to be in court May 29 for a hearing including on new charges that he damaged a prison or jail and graffiti vandalism, both misdemeanors that allegedly occurred in September.

Aurora has praise for Barrick and Spencer, but the latter she noted, “Has been terrific,” in his dedication to the case and concern for Ashley’s family.

Spencer worries about Aurora and her family, he worries about the families of murder victims: “All their questions will probably never be answered as to why … that’s probably the worst part they’ll always be left wondering,” what would cause someone to take their loved one’s life.

Spencer, who is the lead detective on other murders, noted, “The investigation doesn’t end when someone is in custody, it’s ongoing … ”

Aurora’s memories of Ashley are held dear: “Ashley was a happy person, she loved to eat my cooking, she loved leopards,” and cherished many items — from fashion accessories to curtains — that mimicked the rosettes of the big cats’ fur.

Some of the leopard items Aurora has kept, others she gave to her granddaughters, the nieces pampered by their “Tia” Ashley who had worked with children for one-year at Barbara Webster Elementary School.

Ashley would have been 22 on January 13, 2015 and instead of a leopard plush toy or decorative item Aurora bought a newspaper memorial for her daughter.

“She was a very sweet girl,” said Aurora, her voice quavering. “Ashley did favors for people all the time, simple things,” thoughtful acts that were second nature to her.

“She was nice,” said Aurora of Ashley. “She was really, really nice …  I had eight children, including Ashley and now I have seven. But she’s still my baby, although she’s not with me.”





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