Santa Paula has two homicides in 2016, Oxnard tops VC with 12 slayings
Published:  January 04, 2017

Santa Paula had two homicides in 2016, one quickly solved but the other still an open case.

Overall, last year 31 homicides were reported in Ventura County, five more than in 2015 but far short of the 2013 record of 40 murders. In 2013 Santa Paula had six homicides, a record matched in 2002.

The first Santa Paula homicide of 2016 occurred March 25 when at approximately 10:20 a.m. SPPD Officers responded to an apartment located in the 100 block of East Ventura Street for a stabbing. Upon arrival EMS was already on scene and had pronounced the victim, 44-year-old Ricardo Garcia of Oxnard, deceased, who had been killed by a single stab wound to his torso. 

Through investigation it was determined the suspect in the case was Modesto Perez Guevara, 23, of Santa Paula. Police later located Guevara in the 400 block of the Mobile Estates mobile home park where he was taken into custody without incident. 

On December 16 Guevara pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of Garcia. Guevara will be sentenced January 20 when he is expected to receive 12 years in prison. 

The second Santa Paula homicide occurred two months later.

Luis Chavez, 35, of Bakersfield, was found dead late on the evening of June 12 following numerous reports to police of gunshots and then a traffic collision. 

When SPPD Officers arrived at the intersection of Olive and Ventura streets, they located Chavez’s vehicle. He was deceased and an autopsy later showed he suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder.

The murder is still under investigation. 

A third homicide occurred in the unincorporated area of Ventura County when Aleric Owen, 50, was shot to death May 22 on his floriculture nursery located between Santa Paula and Ojai.

The homicide was discovered when the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department was notified by Ventura County Fire that a man reported as injured on the property in the 14600 block of Santa-Paula Ojai Road (Highway 150) was actually dead from gunshot wounds.

VCFD personnel found Owen’s body near Highway 150 where it was believed he had been clearing brush at the time he was shot.

His son, Peter Brian Owen, 23, was arrested the next day.

Elsewhere in Ventura County Oxnard reported the highest number of homicides at 12 and Ventura had eight.

There were four murder-suicides, three that occurred in Camarillo and the fourth occurred in Oxnard. Two of the murder suicides in Camarillo involved domestic violence, incidents that occurred less than two weeks apart. 

There were no homicides in Fillmore, Ojai, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks in 2016.

Anyone with information about the June slaying of Luis Chavez is asked to contact the Santa Paula Police Department, 525-4474.

If you would prefer to remain anonymous, call the SPPD recorded Tip Hotline, 933-5691 or email tips to tipline@spcity.org

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477); the call is not recorded and the caller may remain anonymous.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers can also be contacted by texting “Busted” plus your message to CRIMES (274637). 

Crime Stopper Tips can also be sent via the website, www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org   




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