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Ventura County Sheriff's Office
Thursday March 12th, 2020 :: 01:09 p.m. PDT

Community

Arrests Made in El Rio Homicide

Nature of Incident: Arrests Made in El Rio Homicide
Report Number: 20-5499
Location: 2700 block of Alvarado Street, Oxnard, CA
Date & Time: 01/11/2020 @ 12:38 AM
Unit(s) Responsible: Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit
Sheriff’s Gang Unit
Sheriff’s Special Crimes Unit
Oxnard Police Department
 
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent

City of Residence

 
(V) Pete Mendez
(S1) Alfonso Islas
(S2) Fher Ortega
 
Oxnard
Oxnard
Oxnard
 
Narrative:
On 01/11/2020, at about 12:38 AM, the Sheriff’s Communication Center received a call of shots fired in the unincorporated area of El Rio.  Deputies responded and located a male victim, Pete Mendez, with a gunshot wound.  Mr. Mendez was treated by emergency medical personnel and transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. 
 
The investigation determined that Mr. Mendez was traveling north along Alvarado Street when the occupant of another car shot a firearm which struck the vehicle and the victim.  The suspects in this crime have since been identified as Alfonso Islas and Fher Ortega. 
 
On March 11, 2020, detectives with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau, Ventura County Sheriff’s Gang Unit, and Oxnard Police Department arrested Islas and Ortega for PC 187(a) – [Murder], PC 186.22(a) – [For The Benefit of a Gang], and PC 182(a)(1) – [Conspiracy to Commit Murder].  Both suspects are currently in custody at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility and scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on 03/16/2020.  Islas’ bail is set at $3,000,000 and Ortega’s bail is set at $750,000.
 
Prepared by: Sergeant Steven Jenkins  
News Release Date: 03/12/2020  
Media Follow-Up Contact: Sergeant Marta Bugarin
[email protected]
(805) 947-8052
 
 
Approved by:
 
 
Booking Photo Release:
Captain Jeff Miller
 
 
YES     NO  
 

Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003

Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511

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