DA: Four suspects arrested in murder on Riker Street currently not facing charges
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE DATE ON APRIL 12, 2023, AT 12:43 PM- The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said as of Wednesday that four people arrested in relation to the murder of a 20-year-old man on Riker Streer and Lang are not currently facing criminal charges.
20-year-old Giovanni Alexis Del Toro, 21-year-old Johnathan Alvarado, 20-year-old Arianna Rudd and 21-year-old Julian Cervantes, were arrested in relation to the drive-by murder of Sean Thomas Bufford that occurred on April 6.
The district attorney's office says they have not filed charges, at this time, and will not further comment on this investigation.
The Monterey County Jail has three suspects currently out of custody, minus Alvarado, who is still in jail for alleged attempted murder.
20-year-old man killed in Riker Street and Lang Street shooting identified
The Salinas Police Department has identified the 20-year-old man shot in a drive-by shooting on Riker Street and Lang Street Thursday that later passed on Sunday.
The man was identified as Sean Thomas Bufford on Tuesday by Salinas Police. Four people have been arrested and charged with his murder: 20-year-old Giovanni Alexis Del Toro, 21-year-old Johnathan Alvarado, 20-year-old Arianna Rudd and 21-year-old Julian Cervantes.
KION reached out to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office for charges the four suspects will face and what role, if any, they may have played in Bufford's murder.
All four suspects remain in custody for various charges. Ariana Rudd and Jonathan Alvarado are being charged, as of now, with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit a crime, per the Monterey County Jail. Rudd's bail was set at 2,005,000, and Alvarado's bail was set at $2,000,000.
Cervantes and Del Toro are being charged with murder, and their bail is set at $2,020,000 and $2,045,000, respectively, per Monterey County Jail.
TThe Monterey County District Attorney's Office said the four people suspected of being involved in Bufford's murder would not be arraigned Tuesday. A case is still being built, and no further information is available at this time.
20-year-old man dies, Riker Street and Lang Street shooting being investigated as a homicide
UPDATE ON APRIL 9, 2023, AT 11:57 AM- Salinas Police confirmed to KION that a 20-year-old man shot in a drive-by shooting on Riker Street and Lang Street died Sunday morning.
The shooting is now being investigated as a homicide. The four suspects involved in the shooting, 20-year-old Giovanni Alexis Del Toro, 21-year-old Jonathan Alvarado, 20-year-old Arianna Rudd, and 21-year-old Julian Cervantes, will now face murder charges.
The shooting took place on April 6 at 11:06 p.m. Officers responded to shots fired and a victim of a shooting at Riker and Lang Street.
Witnesses at the scene saw a dark-colored Ford Mustang speeding out of the area. Officers located the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop at King Street and East Alisal Street.
Del Toro tried running away from police and was quickly captured. A firearm was recovered at the traffic stop.
This is the first homicide of the year in Salinas.
Suspects arrested for attempted murder in Salinas shooting
A 20-year-old man is in the hospital being treated for a life-threatening gunshot wound after being shot by someone in a drive-by shooting on Thursday night, per Salinas Police.
A dark-colored Ford Mustang was seen speeding out of the area of Riker and Lang Street, and police later spotted the vehicle at King and E. Alisal Street.
Salinas Police said one of the suspects tried running away on foot, and police began chasing them. The suspect had a gun, which they dripped and picked up at one point, but police were able to apprehend them with no injuries.
Four suspects have been arrested concerning the shooting that left the young man seriously injured, including Giovanni Alexis Del Toro, 20, Jonathan Alvarado, 21, Arianna Rudd, 20, and Julian Cervantes, 21.
Salinas Police say they've all been charged with attempted murder.
