Riverside, Ca- On Monday, August 15, 2005, shortly before 11:00 AM, the Riverside Police Dispatch Center received reports of an assault with a deadly weapon at 5th Street and Orange Street, near the City of Riverside Utilities offices. Officers were dispatched and upon arrival found a male adult gunshot victim lying on 5th Street east of Orange Street. The victim was taken via ambulance to Riverside Community Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

According to witnesses, the suspect approached the victim and shot him without provocation. Witnesses describe the suspect as a male Hispanic adult, approximately 30 years old, 5’07” – 5’10” tall, 160-180 pounds with dark hair. After the shooting, the suspect ran north on Orange Street to a gray pickup truck and got into the passenger seat. The truck, driven by a second suspect described only as a male Hispanic adult, drove off eastbound on 4th Street.

Detectives from the Centralized Investigations Bureau were called to the scene and began an exhaustive, three-month investigation that culminated in the arrest of four people. The detectives were able to identify associates of the victim through computer records and obtained the identity of one individual who closely resembled the description of the shooting suspect in the murder. Their investigation uncovered a relationship between the shooter, the victim’s ex-wife and her new husband. The victim was Mostafa Shirazi, 51 of Yorba Linda.

Epifiania Nicholas, 48 of Blythe is the ex-wife of the victim. She was arrested for Murder on November 23, 2005 and booked at the Riverside County Jail in Blythe.

Frank Bazzo, 64 of Murrieta is Nicholas’ husband. He was arrested for Murder on November 9, 2005 and booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

Joe Olivarez, 36 of Alta Dena was arrested for Murder on November 9, 2005 and booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

Josephine Bracamontez, 53 of Blythe is an employee of Nicholas. She was arrested on November 23, 2005 for being an Accessory After the Fact to Murder and booked at the Riverside County Jail in Blythe.

The driver of the suspect vehicle remains unidentified. Anyone with information regarding his identity or other information related to this investigation is urged to call Detective Jim Brandt at 951-320-8027 or Detective Mike Medici at 951-320-8049.