SOUTH COUNTY — Five gang members from King City have been arrested in connection with the murder of 19-year-old Charles Adolfo Jose, who was shot and killed Jan. 13 while washing his car outside his residence in Greenfield.
Following a search warrant operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies last Thursday at four locations in King City, the suspects — three men and two teenage boys — were taken into custody on various charges. The men were identified as Eduardo Solis, 18, Luis Sarabia, 21, and Jose Juarez, 22, while the names of the juveniles, both 16, were not released.
Solis and one of the juveniles are facing murder charges, along with conspiracy to commit a crime and gang enhancements. Sarabia and Juarez are also being charged with conspiracy and gang enhancements, with Juarez receiving an additional charge of furnishing firearms for the intent to commit a felony. The other juvenile is facing conspiracy charges only.
Greenfield Police Chief Denise Oglesby led a news conference Jan. 24 at the Greenfield Civic Center to announce the suspects’ arrest earlier that morning and provide the latest details of the investigation into Charles Adolfo Jose’s murder.
Oglesby said there was “no relationship other than gang rivals” between Jose and the five suspects, who are known Sureno gang members of King City.
According to the South County Major Crimes Investigations Unit, Greenfield police officers responded to a call of shots being fired Jan. 13 at about 3:11 p.m. in the 200 block of Seventh Street, where they found Jose lying on the sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds. Investigators said Jose had been approached outside the home by a suspect who shot several rounds from a handgun at him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The following day, Jan. 14, an autopsy by the Monterey County Coroner’s Office determined Jose’s cause of death to be from a gunshot wound to the upper body area. After further investigation and tips from the community, a search warrant was served that same day in the 100 block of River Drive in King City, where investigators discovered evidence leading to the identities of the suspects involved.
“The evidence uncovered in that search warrant, and tips from the public and further investigation, led to the identities of the listed suspects and residences,” Oglesby said.
Ten days later, on Jan. 24 at about 5:45 a.m., local investigators coordinated a search warrant operation at four locations in King City — 900 block of Broadway Street, 100 block of River Drive, 200 block of Carlson Street and 300 block of Vanderhurst Avenue — where the five suspects were taken into custody.
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, Salinas Police, California Highway Patrol, Salinas Valley State Prison’s Investigative Services Unit and the FBI assisted with the search warrant operation.
“The investigation is continuing,” Oglesby said. “The investigators would like to thank the public for their cooperation and the important tips they have received via TipNow and the numerous phone calls during this investigation.”
