Police are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects who killed Juan Arellano, Jr., with a gun last year.
The reward, which was announced Thursday, is not necessarily based on specific or new information that police have gathered in the ongoing investigation, according to Morgan Hill Police Cmdr. Joe Sampson.
"We're trying to motivate anyone out there that has information, to come forward," Sampson said.
Arellano, a Hollister resident, was shot to death outside the Crest Avenue Apartments northwest of downtown Morgan Hill about 11:20 p.m. Oct. 2, 2009.
Based on witness interviews and other evidence, police think at least two male Hispanic suspects, between 16 and 20 years old and wearing dark blue clothing, were involved in the shooting with a 9mm hand gun.
Witnesses at the scene said they overheard the suspects exchanging gang-related slurs with Arellano, who was by himself at the time of shooting, police said. The suspects are still outstanding, and police continue to investigate the homicide.
The crime followed two more gang-related violent assaults in Morgan Hill the same day. A 16-year-old male was beaten by at least one male suspect at the bus stop near Main and Hale avenues. The victim was hospitalized for several days, with a ruptured spleen and other injuries, following the assault.
After that, a Gilroy man was stabbed about 14 times by a group of males wearing blue clothing at Tennant Station, between Morgan Hill Bowl and Safeway grocery store. The 31-year-old victim was treated at Saint Louise Regional Hospital.
No one has been arrested in connection with those crimes, Sampson said. On Jan. 8, police arrested Mario Flores, 20, who they identified as a "person of interest" in the homicide. He is not a suspect, and Sampson declined to release any information about his potential knowledge of the crime.
When Flores was arrested in Merced County, police said he had firearms and marijuana in his possession.
Also on the table is a $1,000 reward, offered by Morgan Hill Bowl, for suspect information in a later incident that happened near the Tennant Station hangout. That reward is for information leading the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects who stabbed Gilberto Bailon of Hollister outside CineLux Theater early Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 26, 2009, MH Bowl General Manager Tim Brown said.
Police and bowling alley staff think that crime was gang-related, and it involved a victim and suspects who had just left StriXe Lounge inside the bowling alley, where they had been drinking alcohol.
So far this year, Morgan Hill Bowl and StriXe Lounge have been "very peaceful," Brown said, though the $1,000 reward has not yet produced any new information or witnesses.
The bowling alley hires a private security company that stays on-site until after closing time, keeping an eye on the bar and parking lot as patrons leave every night - "to make sure everyone gets out safely," Brown said.
Police think all of the violent crimes of Oct. 2, 2009 were motivated by ongoing tensions between northern and southern street gangs.
Sampson said police have followed a number of leads related to the homicide, but many of those have been "dead ends."
Anyone with information about the Oct. 2 homicide may call Morgan Hill Detective Brandon Richards at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867. Information can also be e-mailed to brandon.richards@morganhill.ca.gov.
Timeline
- 8:15 p.m., Oct. 2, 2009: A 16-year-old male was beaten up by an unknown male suspect who was wearing a blue shirt - the color associated with a southern street gang. The victim was hospitalized with injuries for several days following the attack, which happened near the bus stop at Main and Hale avenues.
- 9 p.m., Oct. 2, 2009: Jerry Devito, 31, of Gilroy was stabbed 14 times by four men who yelled gang slogans during the attack between StriXe Lounge and Safeway grocery store at Tennant Station.
- 11:20 p.m., Oct. 2, 2009: Juan Jose Arellano, Jr., 24, of Hollister was shot to death in front of an apartment complex on the 17600 block of Crest Avenue. Police think his attackers were at least two Hispanic males between 16 and 20 years old. No one has been arrested for being involved in any of the three attacks that night.
- Jan. 8, 2010: Police arrest Mario Flores, 20, of Morgan Hill - a "person of interest" who was wanted for questioning in relation to the homicide. Flores was arrested in Merced County with loaded guns and marijuana in his vehicle.
- Feb. 4, 2010: A $5,000 reward is offered by MHPD for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects involved in the Oct. 2 homicide. Also on the table is a $1,000 reward offered by Morgan Hill Bowl for the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects involved in a gang-related stabbing near the bowling alley Nov. 26, 2009.
Michael Moore Michael Moore covers county and law enforcement issues for the Morgan Hill Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106, ext. 202, or mmoore@morganhilltimes.com.
POST A COMMENT
If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate.
Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.
Gilroy Garlic Festival: City vs. City Challenge
