A second suspect arrested in Live Oak homicide

UPDATE: 5/9/2018 5:15 p.m. A second man has been arrested for his connection to a homicide in Live Oak.

On April 8, 26-year-old Ivan Villalobos was shot and killed at the Emerald Bay Apartments in the 2500 of Soquel Drive.

Detectives investigated the homicide and arrested a 15-year-old on April 19.

A second murder suspect, 19-year-old Alexis Balderas of Hollister was arrested around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday (5/9). Balderas was being held on warrants in the Santa Cruz County Jail since the night of the murder.

Balderas was booked on charges of Murder and Participation in a Criminal Street Gang. His bail was set to $1.5 million.

UPDATE 4/19/2018: A teenager has been arrested in the murder of a Santa Cruz man earlier this month.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested a 15-year-old juvenile for the murder of 26-year-old Ivan Villalobos.

The suspect was in custody at the Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall where he was being held for a probation violation arrest that happened on April 9.

On April 8, 2018, 26-year-old Ivan Villalobos was shot and killed at the Emerald Bay Apartments at 2500 Soquel Drive. Sheriff’s Office Detectives investigated the homicide and Crime Scene Investigators collected various pieces of evidence.

Sheriff Hart says, “Our investigators have spent many hours piecing this case together and I am pleased they have arrested the suspect responsible for the senseless murder of Ivan Villalobos. I hope this arrest gives the Villalobos family some level of closure in this tragic case.”

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Sergeant Dee Baldwin at (831) 454-7635.

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A 26-year-old man was shot and killed Sunday night at the Emerald Bay apartment complex on Soquel Drive.

The shooting occurred shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday.

“Despite all medical effort, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene,” said the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.

Residents told KION it happened right in the middle of the complex. No one has been arrested and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office isn’t releasing any suspect information.

What we do know is violence has been a trend in Soquel recently. One resident at the apartment complex didn’t want to go on camera but said the shooting happened right in front of the mailboxes. Family and friends have made a makeshift memorial there to honor the 26-year-olds life.

“I saw the candles there. Kind of shocked. I saw all these people, it’s scary,” said a resident at Emerald Bay Apartments.

There have now been three shootings in the area in the last two months. While Sunday’s homicide has not been confirmed gang related, the Sheriff’s Office believes that has been a driving force.

“In this case, we have had a couple of shootings in Soquel, a couple were gang related. And we are following up on that information. And we have had our gang investigators active and working in this area,” said Lt. Jim Ross.

Lt. Ross said the uptick goes back 6 months to a year.

“That’s why I chose the surface streets. Even though I would rather do the railroad tracks, but its not safe,” said Soquel resident, Mark Lukenoff.

Lukenoff has lived in the area since the 1970’s. When asked how far back the violence goes he said he believes the change has been over the last decade.

Right now the Sheriff’s Office said they are interviewing witnesses and don’t know if the suspect or suspects knew the victim.

Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Dee Baldwin at 831-454-7635.