WebThree Gang Members Suspected in Triple Homicide in Visalia Arrested. Abraham Molina, 20, entered a not guilty plea on Tuesday. Arrests in California triple homicide lead to criminal enterprise bust. Additional arrests are expected to be made by law enforcement agencies in Oregon and Texas in connection with this investigation. Celestina Sanchez. DOJs Special Operations Unit is a collaborative investigative effort between DOJ and the California Highway Patrol. Salazar also gave details surrounding Operation Trailblazer a multi-agency investigation into a drug and weapons trafficking ring. RELATED: 3 dead after shooting in parking lot at Golden West High School in Visalia. With that information, law enforcement agencies were able to seize 18 firearms and 20 pounds of cocaine. In May 2020, investigators say they responded to reports of shots being fired in the high school parking lot. The third was just a short distance away. Email: OnYourSide@cbsfresno.com. Postal Service. It's still unclear how or if the suspects knew the victims before gunfire erupted. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California to seize several postal packages containing18firearms. WebSuspect in Visalia triple homicide pleads not guilty to murder charges. This investigation utilized law enforcement departments from the local, state and federal level and resulted Sometimes arrests are swift. Green was 31 years old and an 11-year veteran of the Exeter Police Department. Police say all three suspects are known gang members. All Rights Reserved. WebVisalia Police and multiple law enforcement agencies arrested three gang members in a May 2020 triple homicide at local high school, others on drug, weapons charges While the primary focus of this operation was to bring the suspects responsible for the homicides to justice, the investigation also identified a criminal enterprise operating across state lines and into the country of Mexico. This investigation utilized law enforcement departments from the local, state and federal level and resulted in dozens of arrests, and the seizure of weapons and illegal drugs. Visalia was one of four agencies selected by Gov. Copyright 2023 KFSN-TV. I am grateful that this investigation has led to the arrests of suspects involved in the May 2020 triple homicide of Jose Hernandez-Pea, Isaiah Rule, and Blake Medeiros and that this will begin to bring healing and justice to their families. Visalia Police Chief Jason Salazar said. Violent Crimes Detectives with the Visalia Police Department have worked the case tirelessly since that night. Gavin Newsom to receive the reward. This investigation was a success because of multiagency collaboration at all levels of law enforcement. While the primary focus of the operation was to bring the suspects responsible for the homicides to justice, the investigation also uncovered an alleged criminal organization operating across state lines and into Mexico. 2 girls injured after being hit by car in Atwater, police say, 96-year-old WWII vet among Bass Lake residents snowed in, Snow, graupel, hail fall at unusual spots throughout SoCal. Now, nearly three months since the homicide, Visalia police are turning to the community for help with information. Detectives have contacted and interviewed numerous individuals, evaluated multiple items of evidence, and authored numerous search warrants to ascertain what occurred that night, and identify those responsible. "Somebody knows something; it takes one person to give the right lead," Rule said. The Visalia Police Department was aided by the followingagencies: I am grateful that this investigation has led to the arrests of suspects involved and that this will begin to bring healing and justice to their families. Salazar said. According to detectives, the investigation into the shooting led to the discovery of a criminal enterprise operating across state lines and into the country of Mexico. Investigators say they learned that area gang members and associates were bringing guns from Texas and paying for the weapons with drugs including meth and cocaine obtained from Mexican traffickers. No arrests were made at the time of the shooting or in the months that followed. 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Greene says she plans to file articles, Preliminary 7.4 quake shakes Mexico Tuesday morning, The 4 others arrested in connection with bombing, State of emergency declared in Madera County, power, Efforts to restore power to areas affected by storm, I-5 reopens with CHP escorts Wednesday afternoon, A drug-resistant infection has health experts on, Caltrans: Highway 140 closed in Midpines due to rockslides, MCSO names new agriculture crimes detective, CLOSED: Yosemite Unified shuts all schools for the, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The teenagers were found dead from gunshot wounds inside of a vehicle near the high school. The victims were later identified as 19-year-old Jose Hernandez-Pena, 19-year-old Blake Medeiros, and 18-year-old Isaiah Rule. I have three other kids, so I have to wake up, but you just don't want to wake up.". January 19, 2022, 9:38 AM. When officers arrived, they found Jose Pena, Black Medeiros and Isaiah Rule shot to death. Jose Carlos Hernandez Pena, 19, Isaiah Rule, 18, and Blake Madeiros, 19, were found dead in the In October, detectivesapplied for a $50,000 reward through the State of California Governors Office to help solve the case. In July 2021, the Visalia Police Department requested assistance from the California Department of Justices (DOJ) Special Operations Unit (SOU) with its investigation into the triple homicide. While we cannot take away the grief and loss the Visalia community has felt as a result of these horrific and senseless murders, we can bring to account the people who committed these crimes. In July of 2021, the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit were asked to join the investigation and assist investigators from the Visalia Police Department, Tulare County Sheriffs Office, and the Tulare County District Attorneys Office in what would become Operation Trailblazer. Theyve authored ninety (90) search warrants, conducted sixty (60) interviews, searched over two hundred twenty (220) digital accounts, and followed up on numerous anonymous tips. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. VISALIA California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest of multiple members of the Sureocriminalstreet gang for their involvement in the 2020 murders of three teenagers at a local high school in Visalia. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. WebLate Tuesday night, police officers in Visalia, a San Joaquin Valley city about 40 miles southeast of Fresno, responded to a report of shots fired at a high school. Coping with his loss is a daily struggle. Based on all information revealed during the investigation, detectives have identified suspects Mark Aceves (20), Cesar Lopez (19), and Abraham Molina (20) as being involved in the triple homicide that occurred in the City of Visalia on May 5, 2020. Rule says they plan to hold another justice walk on Wednesday in front of the Visalia Police Department to keep the boy's memory and investigation alive. During the January 13th search and arrest operation,27Sureos members and associates were arrested, including three who are suspected to be directly involved in the triple homicide. Surveillance video from the school showed a suspect vehicle driving up to the Candles and heartfelt messages surround a photo of Isaiah. "In this particular case, it took hard-working detectives from the Visalia Police Department who never gave up it took all of us working together to shepherd in this monumental operations resolution.. Officers say the Governors reward of $50,000 is still available for those with direct knowledge of the shooting. Detectives continued to work leads and analyze data collected during the investigation. California DOJ partnered with local law enforcement in Texas, the U.S. All Rights Reserved. Those seizures resulted in 18 firearms and 20 pounds of cocaine being intercepted by law enforcement. They were shot to death in May of 2020 in the parking lot at Golden West High School. An investigation that began with the tragic murder of three young people in Visalia led to law enforcement uncovering a drug and firearms conspiracy that reached from California to Texas and Mexico,said Attorney General Rob Bonta. 3 dead after shooting in parking lot at Golden West High School in Visalia. Contact CBS47 and let us be On Your Side. WebOn May 5, police found the three men shot and killed at Golden West High School in Visalia. On Thursday, 300 officers from multiple law enforcement agenciesserved 27 state search warrants, 18 state arrest warrants, five federal search warrantsand four federal arrest warrants. Your email address will not be published. Visalia Police Department Violent Crimes Detectives, Special Enforcement Unit Officers, and Crime Scene Investigators were called out to assist in the investigation. TRAFFIC ALERT: Several lanes are now blocked going North on Highway 41 due to a multiple-vehicle collision in Fresno. Balderama and Williams said they still don't know what happened the night of the shooting. DOJ partnered with local law enforcement in Texas, the U.S. To learn more about the Voice, click here. Today at 4:31 PM. 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