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Organization: Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station
Date: September 24, 2008
COBRA Team Solves Another Crime
Commit Crime? Not in the Santa Clarita Valley — Two men are in custody following a thorough investigation into the September 6th, 2008, stabbing of two suspected teenage gang members after an altercation between two rival gangs escalated in Canyon Country. Detectives obtained information from witnesses and developed more leads after determining the crime was caught on surveillance video from a nearby camera at a fast food restaurant near Soledad Canyon Road and Crossglade Avenue.
The deputies determined two male adult suspects, who are also suspected gang members, were allegedly involved in the crime and one was reportedly wearing a Taco Bell uniform shirt. They later determined the suspect was employed by the nearby fast food restaurant. Detectives were able to identify the man as Salvador Rodriguez, MH/19, of Canyon Country, and determined he was a potential suspect in the crime. They also identified Johnny Zelaya, MH/20, resident of Palmdale and Canyon Country, as the second suspect.
Detectives from the City of Santa Clarita / Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's COBRA Team determined that Rodriguez had fled to Escalon, California, near Modesto, following the incident. Working with local authorities in Escalon, deputies reached agreement and made arrangements for Rodriguez to surrender. Santa Clarita Deputies drove to Escalon where the arrest of Rodriguez was made without incident. Rodriguez was transported back to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station, where he was booked on a felony charge of Attempted Murder. He is being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Los Angeles, in lieu of 1.5 million dollars bail and is scheduled to appear in Santa Clarita Superior Court on September 30th.
Through further investigation and the service of a search warrant at the last known Palmdale address of suspect Zelaya, detectives determined he had fled the state to Kansas City, Missouri, where he had previously resided and is also a suspected gang member. Working in close cooperation with Kansas City officials and the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's Fugitive Detail, Santa Clarita Detectives were able to have Zelaya located in Kansas City.
Tuesday morning, September 23, 2008, officers from Kansas City, Mo., went to a location which Zelaya is known to frequent. They arrested Zelaya as a fugitive based on the 1 million dollar Attempted Murder warrant issued on this case. Zelaya's extradition is pending and he will be returned to Los Angeles County to stand trial in this case when his extradition is resolved.
The victims, age 14 and 16, are both recovering from their injuries and have been released from the hospital.
"These far reaching arrests are yet another example of how we will work hard to track down anyone who commits violent crimes in the Santa Clarita Valley," said Captain Anthony La Berge. "The textbook use of resources intended to track down these criminals and interagency cooperation made these arrests possible. We are grateful for the assistance provided by the other agencies and are thrilled with the fact we could get these dangerous individuals off the streets before they hurt someone else. The long arm of the law and thorough investigation by the COBRA Team are once again helping us send our 'Not in Santa Clarita' message!"
The investigation is ongoing and there is no further information available at this time. Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station at (661) 255-1121. -ref 15957
If You See Something, Say Something! Report non-emergency crime anonymously by visiting the following link: Crime Tips or calling (661) 284-2-TIP / (661) 284-2847.
