Salinas Police: Man convicted of double murder gets 150 years
Photo: Santos Fonseca / Salinas PD
Originally published 10-9-20 via Facebook
by the Salinas Police Department:
“UPDATE: Santos Fonseca was sentenced today to 150 years to life, plus 2 years and 8 months for escape.
We would like to express our gratitude to the members of the community who worked in partnership with us and came forward with information helping us bring Fonseca to justice.
Original Post:
*Double Murder Conviction
On July 24, 2020, after a week-long trial, Santos Longoria Fonseca was found guilty of first-degree murder and escape. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October:
On June 5, 2018, at approximately 8:00 PM, a homicide occurred in the parking lot of El Dorado Park. On the night of the homicide, detectives contacted witnesses who described a man later identified by investigators as 19-year-old Santos Longoria Fonseca. The witnesses described seeing the suspect running from the park following the shooting with his hand in his pocket as if he was holding a gun. Additional evidence placed Fonseca walking toward the park prior to the shooting. Detectives learned Fonseca was wanted on a felony warrant for an attempted robbery. The investigation led detectives to a residence located on the 1600 block of Siskiyou as a possible location for Fonseca. Detectives, the Violence Suppression Unit (VSU), and law enforcement partners conducted a surveillance operation over the course of the next 24 hours while also gathering additional evidence. Further investigation led to evidence indicating Fonseca was also responsible for the murder of Lorenso Gomez Acosta three days earlier on June 2, 2018.
On June 6, 2018, at approximately 6:30 PM, detectives and VSU officers positively identified Santos Fonseca in a vehicle with two other occupants. VSU conducted a stop on the vehicle and arrested Fonseca for murder and the outstanding felony warrant. Fonseca’s girlfriend, Alekzandra Romayor (18), was also arrested, and a third juvenile girl (17), was detained and later released to her mother. A 9mm semi-automatic handgun, believed to be the murder weapon, was located in Romayor’s purse. Following Fonseca’s arrest, VSU, HSI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, CHP and Salinas Patrol officers served a search warrant on the Siskiyou residence. The search of the Siskiyou residence revealed a Glock semi-automatic handgun, ammunition, and other items of evidence.
Santos Fonseca was booked into County Jail for two counts of murder for the June 2, 2018 murder of Lorenso Gomez Acosta on Klamath Drive, the June 5, 2018 murder of Ernesto Garcia Cruz at El Dorado Park, and the outstanding felony attempted robbery warrant. Romayor was booked on one count of murder for the June 5, 2018 murder of Ernesto Garcia Cruz at El Dorado Park, one count of accessory to murder for the June 2, 2018 murder of Lorenso Gomez Acosta on Klamath Drive, and possession of the firearm located during the stop.
In June of 2019, Romayor accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to prison for her involvement in brutal crimes.
In November of 2019, Fonseca escaped from the Monterey County Jail but was apprehended a couple days later while trying to cross back into the U.S. from Mexico.
On July 24, 2020, after a week-long trial, Fonseca was found guilty of first-degree murder and the escape. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October.”
