DA: Two Seaside men plead guilty to 2014 murder of man they thought was rival gang member

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION-TV)- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said that two Seaside gang members will be sentenced for the murder of a 28-year-old they mistook for a rival gang member.

Enrique Lopez Velazco, 28, and Arcadio Perez-Ruiz, 28, both from Seaside, will be sentenced on Feb. 23, 2023, for the murder of a local moving company worker after mistaking him for a rival gang member.

Perez-Ruiz pled guilty to first-degree murder, a weapon enhancement, and street terrorism. Velazco pled guilty to second-degree murder and street terrorism, according to Pacioni.

In the early morning on July 3, 2014, Jacobs was walking down Elm Avenue to work when the two defendants and a juvenile spotted him after they left a local drive-thru. Since Jacobs was black and in his 20s, the three concluded that he was a rival gang member, said Pacioni.

Perez-Ruiz and a 15-year-old juvenile got out of the car that belonged to Velazco, chased Jacobs, and stabbed Jacobs to death. Residents said they could hear Jacobs screaming for help.

Seaside Police found Jacobs dead on the front steps of an Elm Avenue residence. Pacioni stressed that Jacobs was not a gang member but a valued employee of a moving company, the father of a young child and that he left behind a large extended family.

Pacioni said surveillance video was found of Velazco’s Lexus leaving the drive-thru before Jacobs's murder.

Search warrants of Velazco’s social media accounts revealed group messages between Velazco, Perez-Ruiz, the juvenile, and other gang members. Perez-Ruiz bragged about stabbing someone on behalf oh his gang and referred to himself as "Arcadio187," which is the Penal Code section for murder, said Pacioni.

In 2018, detectives obtained a recording where Perez-Ruiz detailed his, Velazco’s, and the juvenile’s involvement in Mr. Jacobs’ murder. Because of Perez-Ruiz’s statements in this recording, the People were able to charge Perez-Ruiz, Velazco, and the juvenile with Mr. Jacobs’ murder

Jeannine M. Pacioni

Perez-Ruiz faces 26 years to life, and Velazco faces 15 years to life for the murder of Jacobs.

The juvenile suspect entered a plea of admission to first-degree murder, a weapon enhancement, and street terrorism. He will remain in juvenile hall until he is at least 25 years of age, which will be in 2024.