Mother of Three Found Dead in Motel; Boyfriend Arrested

Jasmine Miranda, a 38-year-old mother of three, was discovered deceased on August 18 inside a room at the Kona Inn Motel in Anaheim. Police responded to a welfare check and found Miranda with traumatic injuries. Her boyfriend, 43-year-old Oscar Velasquez, was arrested on August 19 on suspicion of murder.

Detectives identified Velasquez as a suspect through witness interviews and surveillance footage, subsequently using license plate reader technology to locate him in Santa Ana. Velasquez, who has a significant criminal history including assault with a deadly weapon, was taken into custody without incident.

Merritt's family is organizing fundraisers to cover her funeral expenses. Her daughter is expected to speak publicly about her mother for the first time. A separate online fundraiser described Jasmine as a devoted mother and noted her family was her 'entire world.' The circumstances surrounding her death are still under investigation.