By F. Scott Faulkner
Sept.25, 2024 – Ventura County, CA
Just before midnight on the night of September 7, 2024, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Dispatch was alerted to a violent attack in a downtown Moorpark neighborhood.
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Detective K. Walters, Moorpark Patrol Station deputies promptly arrived at the reported scene to discover that “two victims had been assaulted, one suffering from stab wounds inflicted during the attack.” The victims were quickly attended to by emergency medical response personnel, with one being treated for “serious injuries.”
An intensive week-long investigation ensued, spearheaded by a collaboration of East County Investigations Major Crimes, Property Crimes, and the Special Enforcement Units, alongside Moorpark’s local detectives. Their efforts led to the identification of three Moorpark residents as the primary aggressors: Sergio Lazaro, 28; Bernardo Nunez, 27; and Michael Gutierrez, 48.
On September 17, 2024, Moorpark Police Department detectives executed a coordinated operation involving numerous search warrants. This culminated in the arrest of Lazaro, Nunez, and Gutierrez, with further recovery of evidence linking them to the crime. During these operations, another Moorpark local, Cesar Lazaro, 26, was detained for unrelated firearms violations.
All suspects were transported to Ventura County Jail, where they were booked on a slew of charges, including battery causing serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, and vandalism. The trio remains in custody on no-bail holds.
