Just days after experiencing San Jose’s 29th homicide, police announced the arrest of three individuals responsible for the shooting death of 33-year-old Santrius Romel Lawrence near the 7-11 at Monterey Road and Edenview Drive in San Jose. A police spokesman Officer Albert Morales with the SJPD announced, “The follow up investigation developed information that led to the identification and arrest of the three suspects”.
San Jose Police Special Operations Covert Response Unit (CRU) arrested the following suspects:
23-year-old Cesar Cacho was arrested in Stockton on August 6;
21-year-old Jesus Rivera was arrested in Gilroy on August 12;
21-year-old Ivan Matias Montalbo was arrested in San Jose on September 19.
The victim was killed near this 7-11 (photo Amy Nilson)
According to Officer Morales “The three suspects were booked into the Santa Clara County Jail. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office previously filed formal charges on Cesar Cacho and Jesus Rivera for murder with the formal filing on Ivan Montalbo to be reviewed and filed next week”.
Reports say that Santrius Lawrence was walking Southbound on the 5000 block of Monterey Road when he was confronted by the three suspects. During a brief confrontation, one of them exited the vehicle, shooting several rounds at the victim. Morales said, “The victim fell to the parking lot pavement and shortly after succumbed to the gunshot wounds”. The suspects fled the scene before police could arrive.
Makeshift memorials to the victim were made outside the 7-11 store (photos Amy Nilson)
The news of the arrests comes just days after Saturday night’s shooting death of 24-year-old Richard Watkins on Azucar Avenue and Roeder Road, off Monterey Highway in South San Jose. While at his family’s home, a suspect fired shots at a relative of Watkins, who escaped the gun fire, but a stray bullet hit Watkins while he waited for his family member to park. The suspects approached on foot and soon fled the scene after firing several shots at the vehicle and driver. The street is often packed with cars and drivers using flashers to unload and load cars with items because the availability of parking is extremely limited.
Victim Richard Watkins in an image posted to Forever Missed memorial site.
Morales said, “We definitely want to go ahead and reach out to the public”. SJPD police responded to the scene blocking off the area for several hours while collecting evidence and confirm witness accounts of the incident. “We definitely want to get some closure and then get some answers for the family as well,” Morales said.
Persons with information regarding the above case are urged to contact Detective Sgt. Guire or Detective K. Tran of the San Jose Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (408)277-5283.
