By F. Scott Faulkner
Ventura County, CA
From reports of tires slashed to the arrests for attempted murder, Ventura County law enforcement were able to connect the dots. It was just after 1 a.m. on October 6, 2024 when multiple Thousand Oaks residents called 911
and reported tires being slashed on multiple vehicles parked on residential
thoroughfares.
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Det. Sgt. Jason Karol, “witnesses
saw three suspects fleeing the scene on foot.” Two “uninvolved” citizens, in an attempt to follow
the suspects, then pursued the suspects in their vehicle.
Gunshots were fired from the suspect vehicle, hitting the “uninvolved” pursuers’ car,
bringing the chase to an abrupt halt. The suspects then fled the area.
The ensuing investigation by the East County Major Crimes Investigations Bureau, the Thousand
Oaks Special Enforcement Unit (SEU), and Thousand Oaks Patrol Services led to the
identification of Thousand Oaks residents Jimmy Cruz, 36, Layla Hamideh, 38, and Michael Fay,
18.
On the morning of October 22,, SEU personnel served a search warrant at the
Cruz residence and “seized evidence of the shooting, including a police radio scanner.” Cruz was
arrested and transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was charged with two counts of
attempted murder, conspiracy, and felony vandalism. His bail was set at $700,000, and he
remains in custody.
For her part, Hamideh was arrested during a traffic stop the same day, at which time patrol
officers recovered “a loaded, non-serialized handgun which was easily accessible to three
juveniles in her vehicle.” Hamideh was arrested and transported to Ventura County Jail, where
she was charged with carrying a loaded firearm, unlawful transfer of a firearm, and child
endangerment with her bail set at $50,000.
Fay was contacted during a warrant search of his residence, which “uncovered additional
evidence related to the crimes.” Fay booked into Ventura County Jal on charges of felony
vandalism and conspiracy, with his bail set at $40,000.
