What Happened to Ralphie Hernandez? Was it murder, manslaughter, self-defense, or an accident?
“We need to go down to Orange County, Ralphie is in critical condition,” said Randy Centeno as he got off the phone.
The two parents, Randy and Claudia Centeno, rushed from Ventura, California all the way to OC Global Hospital in Tustin. When they arrived they were told that their son Ralphie Hernandez Centeno had been in a bar fight in Newport Beach and was in critical condition with a severe brain hemorrhage before he underwent emergency brain surgery.
Who was Ralphie Hernandez?
Ralphie Hernandez was born May 19, 2001. Ralphie was born with a different father before Claudia met Randy, but Randy quickly became the father figure Ralphie needed. Growing up, Ralphie was a good kid and listener. “He was like my little best friend. We did everything together. He was my little me,” Claudia said.
Ralphie Hernandez’s senior portrait 2019.
Ralphie as a baby.
Ralphie pictured with Randy age 5 left, and pictured with Claudia, aged 5 right.
Randy met Ralphie when he was four years old, “I loved him like a son the day I met him,” said Randy. Randy and Claudia got married in 2010 and had their first born, Aubrie, making Ralphie a big brother – a role he took very seriously. “Ralphie was a homebody and only wanted to be with us, wherever we go he’d go,” Claudia said. Ralphie was always a family man and loved being in the presence of his family. During his weekends, he would make time every Sunday to go to Church and youth groups. “He had a lot of friends but he would never say ‘I’m gonna go out this weekend with my friends. He’d be home with us, going to family events, dodger games, and helping us raise the three kids,” Randy said. Ralphie had three younger siblings: Aubrie, 16, Audriana, 15, and RJ, 13.
Ralphie at his baptism in 2021 (top).
Ralphie with his family.
Ralphie had a calling to nature. During his free time, he loved to be outdoors. He enjoyed the simple things in life: fishing, camping, cornhole and being with his dog. Ralphie had a Yellow Lab named Brooklyn, after his love for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Brooklyn went everywhere with Ralphie, doing all outdoor activities together. “If you hang around Brooklyn, she’s just like Ralph,” said Randy. Ralphie bought his first truck at 20 years old. He loved that truck and would take Brooklyn with him everywhere on all of their outdoor activities. A good memory with Ralphie was when he got his truck… he was so happy when he got that truck,” Randy said.
Ralphie with his truck.
“Every morning he’d wake up and say ‘I can’t believe that’s my truck.’ He’d even wake up in the middle of the night and make sure it was okay. He barely had it for a year,” said Claudia. Ralphie was thankful for everything that he got. “He didn’t expect more and never complained about anything. My son was so good,” said Claudia.
Ralphie with Brooklyn and Ralphie catching a fish.
During Ralphie’s highschool years, he played baseball. “He loved baseball and had a passion for it. He would’ve been a really great baseball coach. He had patience and was so gentle while teaching it to his siblings,” said Randy. As another job, Ralphie was a private trainer teaching baseball to young boys in Ventura. Ralphie worked with Randy and was learning the craft of painting.
Ralphie at his senior night at Ventura highschool, 2019.
Ralphie at his graduation with his family. Ralphie and Claudia, 2019.
After highschool, Ralphie wanted to become a firefighter. He attended Oxnard College and played baseball there for two years and took classes for the EMT. Throughout those two years, Ralphie switched gears and wanted to become a lineman. He started the process of getting his trucking license to go to lineman school and was supposed to start school in August 2023 in Sacramento, just three months before his passing, “A life he never got to live, just goals he never had the opportunity to make because of one night,” Randy said.
Ralphie and his friends
Ralphie was the definition of a true friend, a person you can always count on. Out of the three boys that he was with that dreadful night, he was only close with one of them, Dylan Gray, and the other two, Pimentel and Wentling were acquaintances of Ralphie but close with Dylan. Ralphie’s decision to go to Newport with them was a choice he doesn’t make as his parents describe him as a “homebody” and an introvert.
Two of Ralphie’s best friends recall moments of Ralphie being a reliable person and overall good friend. He would never leave anyone behind, regardless if he knew them well or not. “He was never known for starting fights. If anything, he was the one that would try to bring the conflict down and to not have it escalate into a fight,”said Andrew Ramirez, one of Ralphie’s best friends since childhood.
Ramirez pictured with Ralphie.
Ramirez remembers a specific moment during their childhood that highlights the type of person Ralphie was. “We were probably 12 or 13 and we were outside hitting weighted sand balls and I hit one and it hit the neighbors side window and it shattered. I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do, and he said ‘Don’t worry about it, I’ll just say I did it,’ and he told Randy and didn’t get in trouble. He took the blame for me and he would take the blame for anyone else, that was him,” said Ramirez.
If you needed Ralphie, he was one phone call away and always willing to talk about anything. “He was not a shallow friend. He was such a loving guy. He would never, never, never start fights or be in them. He was never an angry drunk. He just wanted to have a fun time and be his goofy self whenever we would go out,” said Aaron Gonzales, another one of Ralphie’s best friends. “I was sad whenever I had to drop my girlfriend Aimee off back in Nevada and drive home to Ventura. Ralphie would call me to check in on me and talk to me the whole four hour drive because he knew I was sad. He would comfort me and let me talk to him about whatever,” Gonzales said. Gonzales is now engaged to his fiancé, Aimee Poole, and they bought a house together this year in Fillmore. “Our house is really special to us, and I just wish he could’ve seen it. He would’ve been so proud,” Gonzales said.
Aaron Gonzales (left) and Ralphie (right).
The Plan
That Friday, April 21, 2023, in Ventura, Ralphie told his parents he was going to Newport Beach with friends for the weekend. His younger sister Aubrie, had a bad feeling for Ralphie. Aubrie begged him not to go, but the excitement on Ralphie’s face for a fun weekend out with his friends made her decide that this night out could be good for him.
Andrew Ramirez remembers the day that Ralphie went out to Newport Beach. He had texted him asking for bar recommendations because Ramirez was familiar with the area. “I talked to Ralph before going out and asked him what he was gonna do down there and he told me they got a place there and are just gonna hang out. I knew he didn’t hang out with them on a regular basis and I didn’t have good energy about them. I know how they move and they’re more reckless and careless, and Ralph was not like them. But I told him to have fun and be safe.” Ramirez reflects about that day and that text being the last text he sent to his best friend. “I thought he was gonna be my best man one day,” said Ramirez.
The Police Reports
That “bar fight” did not take place in the bar, but in the parking lot and included the three boys he was with: Dylan Gray, Justin Pimentel, and Chris Wentling. The question that still remains one year and seven months later, is what happened to Ralphie? Randy and Claudia, like any parent, want to know why and how their son was tragically killed, and all three of the boys have that answer– but choose to remain silent.
Malarky’s Irish Pub is located next to a Chipotle. These two buildings are shared by Malarky’s parking lot, where the incident took place and Ralphie was found.
The haunting last photo of Ralphie (left) pictured in Malarkey’s bar with Dylan Gray (middle) and Justin Pimentell (right). Via Dylan Gray’s Instagram.
Where the photo was taken: in Mullarkeys Irish Pub in Newport Beach.
The case is still closed, but on these reports given to Claudia and Randy months ago, it says open.
The first police report is the reporting officer’s narrative he when arrived on the scene:
“When I arrived, I saw one subject laying on the ground, who I later identified as Ralphie Hernandez Jr. There were approximately six other subjects near Hernandez. I later identified two of the subjects as Hernandez’s friends, Justin Pimentel and Dylan Gray. Two other subjects I later identified as Malarky’s employees, Bryce Miller and Matthew Lombardo. One of the subjects was the reporting party, Brian Fernandez.
Miller was helping take care of Hernandez and he later told me that he is a trained Emergency Medical Technician. I asked Miller if he knew what happened to Hernandez, but he said he did not know. Miller added that ‘none of these guys know what happened.’
I contacted Miller. He said he was working at Malarky’s when a male subject approached him near the front door of the business. Miller described the subject as a White male with a mustache, wearing a hooded sweater with unknown writing on the front and a black beanie, or possibly a red hat. The subject told Miller that he needed people to help him immediately. Miller asked the subject what happened and the subject replied, ‘I hit my friend in the face.’
Miller estimated that the suspect left approximately 15-20 minutes after he returned to the business to ask for help. Miller did not see any physical altercation and only found Hernandez after he was already laying on the ground. I asked Miller to look at Gray and Pimentel. He confirmed that the male subject that approached him earlier was different from Gray and Pimentel.
I contacted Gray. I saw that he had scrapes to the left side of his face. He said he was trying to get back to his hotel, but said he did not know what the name of the hotel was. I asked him if he was at Malarky’s earlier, but he would not definitively answer. I asked him how many people were in his group of friends at the bar. He did not answer. I asked him how many of his friends came from the Ventura area. I asked this because I was able to determine that Hernandez, Gray and Pimentel were all from Ventura. Gray said he, Pimentel, Hernandez and ‘one other guy’ came together. I asked for the other guy’s name. Gray said that person was not his friend and he refused to provide a name. Pimentel and Gray left the location in an Uber. At the time I finished my initial investigation, I was unable to determine if Hernandez was the victim of a crime, or if he fell accidentally, possibly due to intoxication. I left the case, pending additional investigation and follow up.
Hernandez’s parents, Randy and Claudia, arrived at OC Global. Randy told me that Hernandez, Gray, Pimentel and a fourth friend, ‘Chris’ left Ventura on 04/21/23, at approximately 6 p.m. They took one car and the four friends were planning on socializing in Newport Beach, then staying the night in a hotel, before returning home. Randy did not know what car they drove. I later learned via hospital staff that some of Hernandez’s friends were still at the hospital. I looked into the lobby and saw who I believed to be Gray and Pimentel, but I did not speak with them. Based on statements and my investigation, I believe the fourth subject in Hernandez’s friend group is the same subject that approached Miller at Malarky’s. Based on this subject’s statement to Miller, It is possible he battered Hernandez, causing him to fall to the ground. Due to the severity of Hernandez’s injuries, I notified patrol supervisors of the circumstances surrounding the case.”
That was the first police report that Randy and Claudia have before being given a second police report, where NBPD redacted the names of the subjects from them.
The Redacted Police Report #2
“Detective Markwald arrived on scene and asked that Officer Rebollar and I attempt to contact the local businesses in the area for any video surveillance footage. Detective Markwald relayed to Officer Rebollar and I that the suspect had to have fled in a different direction from the Chipotle, going possibly north-west bound on Newport Blvd.
Officer Rebollar and I proceeded to Wm. Harold & Sons Jewelry to ask if they may have any video surveillance footage of the incident. Manager (redacted) assisted by showing Officer Rebollar and I his two cameras that faced Newport Blvd. and 32nd St. The cameras faced north-west bound near the intersection on all four sides of the street. On the video surveillance footage provided by (redacted), it shows Newport Beach Police Officers arriving on scene to the incident at Chipotle at approximately 1:50 a.m. on 04/22/2023. At approximately 1:56 am, Newport Beach Fire and Paramedics arrived. At approximately 2:05 a.m., Fire and Paramedics left the scene.
At approximately 2:07 to 2:09 a.m., the video surveillance footage shows a male that appeared to match the description of the suspect listed above. The suspect crossed 32nd St. from Newport Blvd. walking north-west bound. (Redacted) was provided with a NBPD USB flash drive. (Redacted) provided a copy of his video surveillance footage to use as evidence on the USB flash drive.”
“Detective Markwald received information of the location of where the suspect, victim and other friends involved in the case were staying at which was the Newport Channel Inn. Officer Rebollar and I went to the Newport Channel Inn, located at 6030 West Coast Hwy. to meet with Detective Markwald to secure the scene. The inn provided Detective Markwald with a key card to room 219. Detective Markwald, Officer Robollar, and I proceeded to room 219 to secure the room pending a search warrant. I opened the door with the key card and Officer Rebollar made a police announcement inside the room advising if anyone was inside.”
This is the end of the police reports that were given to Randy and Claudia.
At the Hospital
Reminiscing about the early morning of April 22, 2023, Randy and Claudia received a phone call by a very close friend of theirs, Mike Gray. They were not called by the hospital, boys, or the cops, but the father of Dylan Gray. Dylan called his parents before informing Randy and Claudia of Ralphie’s condition. Randy was called at six in the morning, six hours after the incident occurred by Mike Gray. The Gray’s and Centeno’s were very close friends– practically family. Randy and Claudia rushed to the hospital all the way in Orange County from Ventura and when they arrived they saw Mike, Mike’s wife Celeste, and Dylan Gray. Overwhelmed by the news of Ralphie’s life threatening condition and serious brain bleed, Mike and Celeste were at the hospital with them everyday for those two weeks. “To be honest, when we were at the hospital, me and Claudia weren’t investigating what happened, we just wanted to focus on Ralphie waking up. But after he passed, we immediately switched gears. Mike and Celeste were at the hospital everyday and it was suspicious. My sister, mom, and dad couldn’t even do that,” Randy said.
Mike and Celeste Gray (left).
Mike and Celeste Gray (right).
At the time, Randy and Claudia felt supported but looking back now, why were Celeste and Mike there everyday? Were they there so Randy and Claudia wouldn’t press charges on their son? Randy thinks Mike and Celeste’s motives were to protect their son, Dylan, who remains silent to tell the truth about what happened to his “best friend” and “brother” that night. “I don’t think your son (Dylan) killed my son, but I think he’s a big reason why he isn’t here today,” said Randy.
Sleepless nights filled the Centeno family during the two weeks Ralphie was in a coma. Living in a hotel in Orange County for 16 days, the Centeno family held hope for their son’s recovery. “I was hopeful Ralphie was gonna recover, but not until we saw his brain swelling was not getting better,” Claudia said. “The worst part of it was the doctor told us he was getting better, he even woke up and grabbed Claudia’s hand. He knew we were there. Suddenly it was a 180 turn that night and he went downhill.” Randy said.
Doctor Pedram Bagheri, an internal medicine doctor, described his professional opinion on Ralphie’s condition, “They did something to stabilize him, but I’m certain they weren’t promising that he was gonna be a fully functioning adult, but in the world of survival, they have to offer some kind of hope for a perfectly healthy 21 year old.” said Doctor Bagheri.
Putting the Pieces Together
Randy and Claudia have tried to make sense of these redacted police reports. This is their version of how the incident could have gone down.
The three boys were at Malarky’s Irish Pub and left the bar and went into the parking lot next to the Chipotle. Randy and Claudia are confident that their son didn’t start a fight,but think that Ralphie was trying to break up a fight between Dylan Gray and Chris Wentling. Ralphie was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was punched by Wentling, causing him to go unconscious. After Ralphie was on the floor unconscious, Dylan Gray and Chris Wentling began to fight. Once all three of the boys realized Ralphie was not waking up, Chris Wentling rushed inside to get help from the bar. Dylan Gray and Justin Pimentel were left with Ralphie trying to wake him up. From the redacted police reports, officials interviewed Miller, the one that worked at Mullarky’s. “I asked Miller to look at Gray and Pimentel. He confirmed that the male subject that approached him earlier was different from Gray and Pimentel.”
Randy thinks that Chris Wentling immediately fled the scene after admitting to the worker that, “I hit my friend in the face” and was the one that revealed to officials the next day at the Newport Beach Inn that he got a DUI that night. From the public records of Orange County:
Although the names are redacted from the second police report, Randy and Claudia can infer that Chris Wentling got a DUI 4/22/23, the same night as the incident occurred, from the public records of Orange County. Randy doesn’t understand why officials let Wentling go on April 22, 2023 at Newport Beach Channel Inn.
“If this was the mayor of Orange County’s son, do you think that no one would be charged or held accountable? The police saw four boys from Ventura that got in a fight, but one kid is dead…How is that okay?” said Randy.
NBPD Followup
Investigating this story, I reached out to the Newport Beach Police Department where all the police reports were. I emailed the Press Release officer, Heather Rangel, for any information on the case and I received a response on October 22. “Unfortunately, there is no information we can release as this is still an active and open investigation,” said Rangel. Furthermore, I submitted a public record form and Freedom of Information Act to the police department requesting my right to any information they have of the case so far since it is an active and ongoing investigation, one year and nine months later. I received a Notice of Determination. While communicating with NBPD, and telling me it was an active ongoing investigation, Randy called Detective Roland of NBPD, who responded to Randy that Rangel was confused regarding what I was asking and made a mistake. Detective Roland confirmed to Randy that this investigation is closed. Following up with Rangel, I emailed her to get confirmation if the case was still open or closed: “Please submit a PRA request to our Records Division,” she said. Rangel never confirmed if the case was open or closed. I submitted the PRA request to the records division again and received another Notice of Determination.
I could not get any reports, officers, or detectives to call me for Ralphie’s case. Randy and Claudia were given two redacted police reports following their son’s death nine months after his passing.
“We’re in Ventura and our son, detectives, and doctors were in Orange County. Detectives took nine to ten months to give us something, and I would call them at least three times a week. To me they were prolonging the investigation. I think they were doing nothing,” Randy said. I reached out to all three of the boys, where I got a response from Dylan and Justin both saying “I’ll decline, thanks,” and no response from Chris Wentling. I emailed Mike Gray and received no response.
Chris Wentling’s Facebook profile.
Justin Pimentel and Dylan Gray’s LinkedIn profiles.
Randy and Claudia’s Concerns
When authorities interview Dylan Gray throughout the police reports, Randy and Claudia don’t understand why Gray is pretending not to know Chris Wentling when they were all aware the four boys went to Newport together. “If Dylan was Ralphie’s friend, why didn’t he step up and tell the cops everything? Why did you say you don’t know Chris in the police reports? Why haven’t you done anything if Ralphie was your friend? What are you holding back? Why are you protecting Chris?” Claudia said.
Dylan and Ralphie were very close friends throughout their entire life. “For Dylan’s birthday, Dylan got in a fight and hurt his knee and had to go to the hospital. Ralphie got in the car, took him to the hospital, stayed there all day and night, brought him home when he was released and Ralphie was sleeping on the floor. The next morning Ralphie took him to Mike and Celeste’s house. Mike and Celeste had no idea that Dylan was in a fight and think he just hurt his leg. Just things he would do for anybody,” said Randy.
Dylan was with Ralphie that night and he never stayed with him, never called Ralphie’s parents when Ralphie was unconscious, and never went in the ambulance with him. “He should have stayed with him and never left his side until we got there. Instead, he made his dad call us six hours later,” Claudia said. “They just left my son there…in that parking lot, and he wasn’t even conscious,” said Randy.
Dylan Gray dedicated an instagram post to Ralphie the day of his death.
From the autopsy report, Ralphie’s head had severe damage to his right side of the brain from what can look like an object hitting him. “The detective has a video from an uber driver who witnessed Ralphie falling to the ground and two of the boys, who I assume were Dylan and Justin, trying to wake him up. The two boys grabbed my son from the waist as if they were trying to carry him and dropped him on his head two to three times making his head injury worse. It was in the video and a bystander yelled at the boys to stop lifting him because it was making his head worse. I don’t have that video, but I think that’s what made his brain bleed even worse,” Randy said.
“My son didn’t fight anyone, if he were in a fight, he would have some marks on his face or hands but his face and hands were perfect. The only damage was in the back of his head,” Claudia said. Randy and Claudia want answers for why their son never came home that night. “He was always a lover, not a fighter,” Claudia said.
Ralphie Hernandez died two weeks later succumbing to his injuries on May 7, 2023 at 21 years old, leaving his loved ones behind with many unanswered questions to this day. Ralphie is buried in his hometown of Ventura, California. “All we get are redacted police reports, three boys that are silent, and a son that doesn’t come home anymore,” said Randy. His unsolved death titled on police reports “Battery with severe bodily injury” has been a closed case by Newport Beach Police Department and no one has been charged.
Brooklyn on Ralphie’s bed (present).
