Post by CCADP on Aug 16, 2005 8:02:20 GMT -5
Cops net 1 in deadly stabbing
By Michelle Durand
A 33-year-old Redwood City man was arrested yesterday in the weekend double-stabbing that left one man dead but so far he was only charged with the non-fatal attack.
Johnny Santiago Vasquez was arrested on attempted murder charges stemming from the stabbing of Javier Tapia shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday. Prosecutors may tack on murder charges later if the evidence connects Vasquez to the murder of Jesus Vargas, 28, during the same brawl.
Vasquez is expected to appear in court on at least the attempted murder charge this afternoon. If prosecutors believe Vasquez, a reported Norteño, acted to further gang activity they could charge him with a special gang activity allegation. Theoretically, if Vasquez is subsequently charged with both murder and that special circumstance, he could be eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Detectives sent several pieces of evidence collected at the Calvin Avenue crime scene to the forensic laboratory for analysis. Once the results are in, prosecutors will review them to decide if Vasquez will be charged in Vargas’ death.
Charging a suspect for an attempted murder but not a murder for crimes connected to the same incident would be “unusual,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, though he did not rule out the possibility.
The stabbings of Tapia and Vargas capped an alcohol-fueled fight at an apartment complex that was also reportedly gang-related. When sheriff’s deputies responded to an emergency call for several people fighting, they found Vargas lying unconscious on the ground in the carport area bleeding from a stab wound to the chest. Emergency medical personnel were unable to revive Vargas and the East Palo Alto man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Tapia, stabbed in the back, was taken to Kaiser Permanente Hospital and released about six hours later.
Detectives found a large kitchen knife in an apartment that may be the murder weapon and spent the evening interviewing 10 Spanish-speaking men about the fight.
Vasquez remains in custody on no-bail status.
Anyone with information about the Sunday stabbing is asked to contact Detective Rich Maher at 363-4055 or Detective Cathy Boettger at 363-4050.
Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.
By Michelle Durand
A 33-year-old Redwood City man was arrested yesterday in the weekend double-stabbing that left one man dead but so far he was only charged with the non-fatal attack.
Johnny Santiago Vasquez was arrested on attempted murder charges stemming from the stabbing of Javier Tapia shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday. Prosecutors may tack on murder charges later if the evidence connects Vasquez to the murder of Jesus Vargas, 28, during the same brawl.
Vasquez is expected to appear in court on at least the attempted murder charge this afternoon. If prosecutors believe Vasquez, a reported Norteño, acted to further gang activity they could charge him with a special gang activity allegation. Theoretically, if Vasquez is subsequently charged with both murder and that special circumstance, he could be eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Detectives sent several pieces of evidence collected at the Calvin Avenue crime scene to the forensic laboratory for analysis. Once the results are in, prosecutors will review them to decide if Vasquez will be charged in Vargas’ death.
Charging a suspect for an attempted murder but not a murder for crimes connected to the same incident would be “unusual,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, though he did not rule out the possibility.
The stabbings of Tapia and Vargas capped an alcohol-fueled fight at an apartment complex that was also reportedly gang-related. When sheriff’s deputies responded to an emergency call for several people fighting, they found Vargas lying unconscious on the ground in the carport area bleeding from a stab wound to the chest. Emergency medical personnel were unable to revive Vargas and the East Palo Alto man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Tapia, stabbed in the back, was taken to Kaiser Permanente Hospital and released about six hours later.
Detectives found a large kitchen knife in an apartment that may be the murder weapon and spent the evening interviewing 10 Spanish-speaking men about the fight.
Vasquez remains in custody on no-bail status.
Anyone with information about the Sunday stabbing is asked to contact Detective Rich Maher at 363-4055 or Detective Cathy Boettger at 363-4050.
Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.