Gangbanger from Riverside arrested for murdering a Santa Ana man at a vacant Food 4 Less

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Homicide Detective Make An Arrest In 02/08/17 Homicide

On Wednesday, February 8, 2017, at 10:29 PM, SAPD Officers responded to a report of a man down in the rear alley at 1900 North Grand Avenue behind the Food 4 Less store. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male face down in the alley. The male had been shot and was unresponsive. Orange County Fire Authority medics responded to the scene and pronounced the victim deceased at 10:37 PM.

The Santa Ana Homicide Unit initiated an investigation. On Thursday, March 23, 2017, Detectives from the Santa Ana Police Department Investigations Bureau, in conjunction with Officers from the Riverside Police Department, arrested Joshua Encinas, 23-years old, at his residence – 3085 Molly Street, Riverside, CA. As part of their investigation, Detectives executed a search warrant at the residence.

The decedent and the arrestee both have ties to criminal street gangs in Orange County. However, the investigation as to the motive for this killing is still ongoing. With concurrence from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Encinas was booked for CPC 187 – Murder. The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact the Santa Ana Police Department Homicide Unit at (714) 245-8390.