Pregnant woman murdered in California drive-by shooting

Marissa Perez was riding in the passenger seat of her father's car on their way to pick up a cake to take to her aunt's birthday party when the murder took place, according to ABC7 News.

The incident took place at approximately 7:30m pm on Thursday December 29, at the intersection of Pioneer and Artesia boulevards in the Los Angeles suburb of Artesia.

According to the woman's mother, Sandra Tolentino, another car pulled up alongside Perez and her father and opened fire, hitting the expectant mother multiple times, including in the head.

Perez was taken to the hospital, where she and her unborn child were both pronounced dead.

"She was 25. She was about to be a mother in five more months. She was so happy," Tolentino told ABC7. "I want justice for my daughter. I want justice for my grandbaby."

According to Perez's brother, Isaac Tolentino, his sister and her boyfriend were over the moon at the prospect of welcoming their new baby into the world in June.

"She was so excited, she seemed like a whole new person," he said. "I've never seen my sister glow like that."

Investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department don't believe it was a random act, but have yet to give word on a possible motive.

"It wasn’t random. We know that. It was not random," Perez's mother said.

One week after the murder, no arrests have been made and no description has been given for the suspect.

The family sent out an appeal for any information on the suspect who stole the lives of the mother-to-be and her unborn child.

"He doesn't deserve to be walking these streets," Perez's mother said. "He needs to be behind bars for the rest of his life."