Crime & Safety
Fifth Person Arrested In Death Of Man Found In Soquel
Deputies said some of the suspects have connections with gangs but the victim was not believed to be gang-affiliated.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies made a fifth arrest Thursday for a homicide in unincorporated Soquel after announcing they were searching for the suspect earlier this week. Jose Leonardo Alfaro Juarez, 20, was arrested in connection with 41-year-old Bernardo Rodas' death on Oct. 13. Rodas was found off of North Rodeo Gulch Road after being reported missing three days earlier.
Milton Arias Molina, 22, of San Jose, a 17-year-old from Capitola and a 15-year-old from Santa Cruz were arrested on Oct. 16, and a 17-year-old from Santa Cruz was arrested on Oct. 19. Deputies said some of the suspects have connections with gangs but Rodas was not believed to be gang-affiliated. Sheriff's officials said the motive for the killing is unclear and the suspects have given conflicting accounts of what happened.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Sgt. Dee Baldwin at (831) 454-7635 or at dee.baldwin@santacruzcounty.us.
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By Bay City News
Photo via Renee Schiavone/ Patch
