US Pastor Felipe Ascencio Shot Dead at Home; Ramona Church Community Mourns

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

RAMONA, USA (Worthy News) – A pastor in Southern California was shot and killed inside his home, authorities and church members said, shocking a close-knit evangelical community in the rural town of Ramona east of the city of San Diego near the U.S.–Mexico border.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Pastor Felipe Ascencio of Templo Monte Horeb, an evangelical church in Ramona, was fatally shot on Sunday afternoon.

Deputies said they responded to a residence in the 700 block of Eighth Street, where Ascencio was found with a gunshot wound and pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities said Joel Martin Dukes III, 22, of Ramona, was arrested on suspicion of murder. “Deputies located and arrested Dukes without incident. He was booked into the San Diego Central Jail for one count of murder,” the Sheriff’s Office stated.

The circumstances and motivation are still under investigation, officials added.

COMMUNITY IN MOURNING

The pastor’s sudden death has devastated his church community. “For a moment it was just something we couldn’t believe,” said congregant Miguel Hernandez. “Even on Wednesday, we had church, and we were still thinking that he was going to walk in and say hello to everyone.”

Friend Francisco Tomas remembered Ascencio’s generosity: “He always opened his doors to me. When I didn’t have a place to stay, he opened his home.”

Jesus Flores, who grew up in the church, added: “He would always encourage me and give me strength when I needed it.”

Ascencio is survived by his wife and two children.

Friends described him as a devoted family man and mentor whose influence reached well beyond the pulpit. A fundraising effort has been launched to support his family.

VINEYARDS AREA

The killing occurred in the rural town of Ramona in eastern San Diego County, California, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) northeast of the city of San Diego, an area known for ranches and vineyards.

Authorities emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and urged anyone with information to come forward.

The tragedy comes as faith communities in the United States are grappling with broader concerns about growing violence, including last week’s assassination of born-again Christian conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, who was killed at age 31 during a campus event in Utah.

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