Arraignment set for suspects in San Lorenzo River levee murder
The suspects in the murder of Joseph Shuemaker, 24, killed in August along the San Lorenzo River levee will hear the charges against them on January 17.
The arraignment was set after a recent and lengthy preliminary hearing, according to Celia Rowland, Santa Cruz County Assistant District Attorney.
The suspects are Nino Ruiz, 27, a transient from Santa Cruz County who police identified as the shooter and his girlfriend, Jenessa Kic, 31, from Santa Cruz. Kic was arrested on murder and conspiracy to commit a murder.
Both are being held over in Santa Cruz County Jail pending trial. A third suspect will be arraigned along with Ruiz and Kic in January: Cristobal Natividad, 41, from Santa Cruz who was arrested as an accessory to the homicide. Natividad is out on the bail, according to Rowland.
Investigators said Natividad was in close contact with Nino Ruiz and Jenessa Kic after the victim was killed.
They said evidence shows the handgun used in the deadly shooting is registered to a relative of Natividad’s and Ruiz is accused of using the gun to shoot the victim.
About eight witnesses testified at the preliminary hearing, according to Rowland. All the witnesses were transients. Finding the witnesses took quite a few resources, Rowland explained.
