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Latest News on California Crimes and Cases

Facing felony or misdemeanor charges in Ventura or Santa Barbara county? Stay on top of the latest news, a service provided by the sophisticated criminal defense lawyers at Bamieh & Erickson. Our skilled attorneys can help you with cases like homicide, violent crime, white collar crime, major fraud, juvenile offenses and more.

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Homicide

Police Arrest Boyfriend in Gruesome Simi Valley Homicide
Feb 04, 2012
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 25, 2012, police responded to a call regarding a disturbance in the 2100 block of Lupin Street in Simi Valley, California. According to police, the neighbors heard commotion and saw a 16-year-old girl running from the house screaming. The neighbor, Frank Real, then entered the house and saw the horrific scene and called 911.

When the police arrived at the address they found the body of Claudia Menjivar, 33. The house where Menjivar was found dead belonged to both Menjivar and her boyfriend, Jose Escobar Monteroso, 35.

Police identified Monteroso as a possible suspect and a negotiator contacted him by phone in an attempt to get him to surrender to the police. At approximately 7:00 p.m., police spotted Monteroso’s blue Honda at a location close to the scene of the crime. According to reports, neighbors applauded when police surrounded Monteroso’s car. He was taken into custody without incident and was later arrested.

Menjivar and Monteroso lived together with their young child and Menjivar’s 16-year old daughter from a previous relationship. They had lived on Lupin Street for several years. The children are being cared for by family members.

At this time police are not providing further details as to how Menjivar died. While her death is being investigated as a homicide, police do not have a motive in this case.

We extend our deepest condolences to the family impacted by this tragic event. Our thoughts are with Claudia Menjivar’s family during this difficult time.
Ventura Defense Attorney: Murder Defendant Was Terrorized By Gang
Jul 13, 2011
Ventura resident Frank Michael Sotelo III has been charged with murder, but his California defense attorney says that the man was acting in self-defense after almost a year of harassments and threats. The Sotelo family, the defense lawyer says, had been living in fear ever since Frank’s 15-year-old sister saw a fatal gang-related stabbing and cooperated with police.

The 24-year-old murder defendant shot 21-year-old William David Speer outside of Sotelo’s home in January. Sotelo told police that he thought Speer had a gun and feared for his life. An investigation found that Speer had three drugs in his system but no weapon.

Sotelo has stated that the incident was far from the first time his family had been threatened. After his sister became a witness to a serious gang-related crime, the family’s home was vandalized, they were run off of the road, and several threats of violence were made. The family alerted police that they felt they were in danger, called 911 several times, and installed security cameras at their home. Police have records of the threats.

Sotelo has a short criminal record – he was convicted of a stolen property felony but has never been involved in a violent crime and has not been involved in gang activity. Speer was associated with a street gang.
Ventura County Shooting in Oxnard Claims Life of One
Jun 12, 2011
An argument in Oxnard leads to a Ventura County shooting, claiming the life of a man. The incident took place at approximately 10:00 on Friday night, May 27, 2011, in the 300 block of Cuesta Del Mar in Oxnard.
According to police, an argument along Cuesta Del Mar turned deadly after a man got out of a black truck and began to argue with a group of people. That is when the suspect pulled out a gun and shot one of the people.

When police arrived at the scene, they found the victim lying on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead at the scene due to a gunshot wound to his upper body. The victim's identity was not immediately made known.

Witnesses told police that the suspect and driver got back into the truck and fled the scene. There did not appear to be any more injuries resulting from the shooting.

There was no indication as to what the argument was about or what type of gun was used in the shooting.

This is the first homicide in Oxnard in 2011.

The fatal Ventura County shooting is still under investigation by local authorities. Police have asked anyone who may have information regarding the shooting to contact Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
Judge Delays Manslaughter Case Against Michael Jackson’s Doctor
May 28, 2011
A California judge has decided to delay the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's personal doctor, Conrad Murray. Judge Michael Pastor said Murray's trial won't start until September, according to news reports. This news sets a new precedent, and is relevant for any other defendant charged with manslaughter in California.

The delay comes at the request of the defense team, after the prosecutors added two new experts to their witness list. The attorneys initially asked for two weeks to prepare new medical experts to rebut their planned testimony, but the judge gave them even more than they asked for, in the interest of justice.
News reports indicate the witnesses will testify that it would have been "impossible" for the superstar singer Jackson to have orally taken enough of the drug that killed him.

A total of 171 potential jurors had been partially qualified. Jury selection was expected to conclude this month.

According to news reports, Judge Pastor asked Dr. Murray if he assented to the delay, because he had earlier invoked his right to a speedy trial after his arraignment. The doctor agreed to the delay.

"I believe it is in the best interest of all parties involved," Murray said in open court.

Judge Pastor said the interest in justice was the most important factor in his decision. "We have to pause for a moment and take a breath," said Pastor. "All of us should be ready before we go into further proceedings."

Dr. Murray's trial is now scheduled to begin September 8, with opening statements by counsel set for September 20.

If you are charged with manslaughter, or another serious offense in Ventura, we can help. Contact us today at 1-805-643-5555. Call now. At Bamieh & Erickson PLC we have years of experience defending clients charged with crimes in California.
Santa Barbara Sheriff Nabs Murder Suspect
May 22, 2011
Detectives working for the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office collared a young Latino male in connection to a murder in Isla Vista on May 15, 2011.
Police are requesting that any citizen with tips regarding this crime should ring the Sheriff's Criminal Investigations Division at (805) 681-4150. They can also dial the Sheriff's Anonymous Tip Line at (805) 681-4171. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at http://www.sbsheriff.org/anonymoustips.

Police booked the suspect, twenty-year-old Benjamin Vargas of Santa Barbara County, on an arrest warrant at 8:27 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, 2011. No bail is possible for the suspect, due to the particular kind of warrant upon which he was arrested.

Vargas is suspected of stabbing 26-year old Vincent Velasquez several times during a fight at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 15, according to the police report.

The Sheriff is still probing the case, looking for additional witnesses. No new details will be released in order to protect the ongoing investigation and prosecution of the prime suspect.

If you or a friend or family member has been arrested or charged with a serious crime like murder, you need legal representation right now. We can help. Contact us today at 1-805-643-5555. Call now. The attorneys of Bamieh & Erickson PLC have years of experience defending clients charged with crimes in Ventura County and Santa Barbara County. Dealing with the California criminal justice system can be difficult. We're here to help you resolve your troubles with the law and get your life back on track as soon as possible.
Four Found Guilty in Santa Barbara Murder Case
Mar 14, 2011
A long and high profile murder case has finally come to a conclusion in Santa Barbara after one mistrial, with four men found guilty of a 2007 murder.

The case centered on the killing of 16-year-old Lorenzo Carachure in July of 2007. Carachure was attacked while walking with his cousin and friend in the lower Westside.

Ruben Mize, 19, and Bryan Medinilla, 19, both admitted members of the Eastside gang, were convicted of first-degree murder in the case. Ricardo Nava, 20, and Raul Diaz, 20, were found guilty of second-degree murder.

Mize and Medinilla face sentences of 25 years to life. Nava and Diaz, convicted of lesser charges, face 15 years to life. The month-long trial went similarly to the first, which was declared a mistrial after jurors were not able to reach a decision in July.

Many members of the Santa Barbara Police Department were present for the verdict, signifying a victory against gang violence. "It's been a long case," said prosecutor Hans Almgren. "Detective [Gary] Siegel and the entire police department put in an incredible amount of work."
Ventura County Hate Crime Trial Delayed
Feb 23, 2011
The murder trial for a teenager charged with the killing of a 15-year-old homosexual student was delayed this week by a Ventura County judge.

The trial for 16-year-old Brandon McInerney was originally scheduled to start on March 15th. Superior Court Judge Charles Campbell pushed it back to early May to accommodate the requests of defense attorneys to gather more information, including McInerney's juvenile records.

McInerney, who is being tried as an adult, is charged with the shooting of student Larry King at E.O. Green School in Oxnard on February 12, 2008. The shooting is being treated as a hate crime because King professed to be gay and McInerney had adopted white supremacist views that regard homosexuality as an enemy.

"I'm really shocked that the judge has allowed it to drag on for so long. It frustrates us. It tears on us emotionally. We'd like to see things finally get resolved so we can get some closure and justice for our son," said the victim's father, Greg King.
Two Men to Stand Trial for California Homicide
Jan 30, 2011
Two Lompac men will stand trial for the killing of a 14-year-old boy that occurred two years ago, with added firearm and gang-related charges.

The two men, 21-year-old Roberto Galindo Barrera and 20-year-old Richard Reyes, appeared in front of Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Edward Bullard this week to answer for the charges.

A third man allegedly involved in the killing, 21-year-old Keith Sullivan Jr. of Lompoc, entered a plea to lesser charges in the case after agreeing to testify against Barrera and Reyes.

The homicide, which happened in the 700 block of North E Street in Lompoc on Jan. 14, 2009, left the 14-year-old with gunshot wounds in his back. He died from his injuries later that day.

The shooting happened in the area of the "south-side" gang, and the boy had ties to members. The shooters, known as "west-side" gang members, allegedly shouted their gang affiliation before shooting the kid.

The men made a getaway in a car, but were arrested by police for their involvement in the shooting later.
Mistrial in Santa Barbara Homicide Case Creates 'Do-over'
Jan 29, 2011
Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Brian Hill ruled a mistrial in a double-homicide case late last month, sending the case back to square one.

The trial was centered around defendant 51-year-old Corey Lyons, charged with killing his brother Dan Lyons and his partner Barbara Scharton in 2009. The two were killed with a shotgun while sleeping in their beds on May 4th of that year.

The prosecution evidence hinged on testimony from Lyons' living brother, who was called to the stand to testify about a phone call in which Lyons knew about the deaths before police discovered them.

The testimony he gave, however, was ruled as “out of bounds as prejudicial hearsay” by Judge Hill, who feared the answers he gave would influence the jury in an inappropriate way.

Lyons’ attorney, Robert Sanger, argued for the mistrial ruling, and wanted the testimony stricken from the trial records. “All we’re asking for here is a fair trial,” he said to the media afterward.

A new date for the double-homicide trial has not been set. However, representation for both sides seemed to think that it would come soon.
Suspect in Oxnard Murder Reveals Himself
Nov 10, 2010
A few months ago, we wrote here that police were still searching for a suspect in an Oxnard homicide. This week, that suspect turned himself in to the Oxnard Police Department.

Rene Ramos, a 24-year-old resident of Oxnard, has been arrested on suspicion of homicide in connection with the shooting of Adrian Lerma, 21, who died of multiple gunshot wounds after a fight escalated near Lerma's home in the 2000 block of San Jose Street.

Ramos turned himself in when he learned that detectives were looking for him. He phoned police to say he was at a gas station at Pleasant Valley and Saviers Roads, and was arrested there without incident. Police say that Ramos turned himself in to avoid further problems with his family.

Police say that the two men knew each other before their fatal fight. Details have not been released yet about the official charges Ramos will face, or how the criminal case against him will proceed.