International 18-month Investigation Leads to Homicide Arrest
Ventura County – A sidewalk confrontation in downtown Oxnard that took place on May 27, 2011 and led to the shooting death of Jesus Valentin set off an investigation that frustrated law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions in two countries until the prime suspect was finally extradited back to the U.S. to face murder charges.
It all began, according to the Oxnard Police Department media statement released just this week, when the suspect, a member of the area’s Southside Chiques street gang, alighted from a pickup truck that pulled up to the curb where Valentin was standing on an Oxnard city sidewalk. According to the media report, the suspect instigated an argument with Valentin and several others in his company, pursuant to which “the suspect pulled out a weapon and shot the victim.”
Suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body, Valentin was pronounced dead by first responder medical teams. Oxnard detectives immediately commenced an investigation which led them to identify Mauricio Guzman, 31, as the principal suspect. At that point “a warrant was obtained for Guzman’s arrest for the murder of Jesus Valentin,” as detailed in the report to the media.
Further investigation at the time indicated that Guzman had fled to Mexico, which began a protracted series of law enforcement agency collaborations designed to ultimately apprehend Guzman and return him to California. It was not until August 2012, however, that the Mexican government finally issued an arrest warrant and located Guzman living in Tijuana, whereupon he was transported to Mexico City and ultimately extradited back to the U.S.
Guzman was returned to Ventura County Jail on January 9th, where he remains with bail set at $2,500,000.
Read More:
Oxnard PD: Press Release
KeyT: Valentin Murder Arrest
VCStar: Suspect Extradited to U.S. in 2011 Oxnard Killing
