Thu. Dec 12th, 2024

In a break from the norm the SAPD has arrested two gangbangers in connected with two homicides – and SAPD Chief Carlos Rojas, who may be barely clinging to his job at this point, announced reward money of up to $50K is being offered for information regarding this past week’s four homicides, according to the O.C. Register.

Chief Rojas announced at a press conference that “It’s pretty unusual to have as many as we have had in that period of time,” indicating that he has apparently forgotten that we had 27 shootings in the month of January, this year.

Rojas also had more to say about the death of 23-year old Joseph Frank Garcia, a documented gangbanger from Orange whose bullet-riddled body was found in an alley behind the Food 4 Less store that has been empty for some time, at the 1900 block of North Grand Avenue.

It turns out that Garcia was found next to a tan Honda Accord that had been reported stolen out of Costa Mesa.

Trisha Verdugo and Rene Acosta

To add to the tragedy, Garcia’s 27-year old cousin, Trisha Irene Verdugo, was also killed when she showed up the day after Garcia’s murder to mourn his death. Verdugo was a nurse and the mother of a 2-year old little girl, and she had no gang affiliation. She was at a makeshift memorial that had been erected to honor Garcia, in the parking lot of the vacant Food 4 Less, when someone in her group got into a confrontation with the occupants of a nearby vehicle.

Verdugo and two others tried to walk away from the vehicle’s occupants, but the driver of the vehicle ran her over and killed her.

Sonny Steven Zieres

The suspects in that homicide, Sonny Steven Zieres, 26, a documented gangbanger, and his fiance, Claudia Trejo, 29, both Orange residents, surrendered Monday to SAPD detectives. Zieres is thought to have been the driver who ran over and killed Verdugo while Trejo was a passenger in his car.

Zieres has since been charged with murder with enhancements for the use of a deadly weapon. He is facing up to 56 years to life in prison if he is convicted.

Trejo is also in big trouble. She was charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact and may end up jail for three years in jail if she is convicted.

Santiago Trejo, 20, a Santa Ana gangbanger, was killed in another recent homicide, that was reported at around 1:45 p.m. on Sunday at the 800 block of West Cubbon Street. Trejo was not related to Claudia Trejo.

Manuel Saucedo

Trejo and his friends, 19-year old Nick Torres; 20-year old Manuel Saucedo and 19-year old Jose Brian Heredia were all intending to assault a rival gangbanger with a baseball bat at the 800 block of South Flower St., according to the SAPD.

The four men chased the rival gangbanger to a home near West Cubin and Garnsey streets but then, in an act of ultimate karma, another rival gangbanger fatally shot Trejo.

Nick Torres

The surviving gangbangers, Torres, Saucedo and Heredia, were all arrested on suspicion of murder under something called the “Provocative Act” doctrine, which applies when an individual commits an act that provokes another person into killing someone, according to the OCDA.

Jaime Campos

Jamie De Castilla Campos, an 18-year old alleged Santa Ana gangbanger, was killed in a third homicide incident that occurred at around  10:40 p.m. on Sunday in an alley in the 600 block of East Pine Street. Campos is suspected of being in a drug deal when he was shot and killed, according to the SAPD.

The OCDA, Tony Rackauckas, said at today’s press conference that he is determined to catch those who are responsible for the unsolved slayings. Well let’s hope he doesnt’ resort to using jail snitches this time!

The SAPD is offering up to a reward of up to $50K for any information that will lead to the filing of charges against any of the homicide suspects. The reward amount will be based on the value of the information.

If you have any information please call the SAPD at 714-245-8390.

author avatar
Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

19 thoughts on “The SAPD has arrested four suspects in two recent gang-related killings in Santa Ana”
  1. I Don’t Know Why They Put Some Fake Info On Here Foreals But AnyWays Rest In Peace To Mah Boy Santi & Jaime May You Guys Rest Easy ✨

  2. I hope the DA follow’s through and prosecutes these idiots. Bring a bat to a gun fight, great logic mensos! At least no innocent people were hurt by this. So with this homicide, 4 gang members taken off the street, nice. Hopefully the DA follows through.

  3. That girl Claudia trejo should be in for many years as well…
    Because she was in the car with him and she just because she wasn’t the driver she was more involved too,
    Can’t anybody in the family put a petition out on her to serve more time…this does not seen right at all isn’t that called vehicular manslaughter…..It’s not easy to read this and just to see her be more at ease for less consequences, because my aunt and Trisha’s daughter the whole family…..

    1. Oh I think that is a vast exaggeration. We try to get the facts – because if we are wrong we could be sued. As it is I have to pay for a liability insurance policy in case we still make a mistake.

      If we ever report something incorrectly please let us know so we may set the record straight.

  4. Whoever wrote this article did a piss poor job.
    You bring up “Santiago” without any mention as to who he is or how he is connected.
    Did you take the time to proof read?

  5. This article didn’t even bother putting Jaime’s age. Maybe because he was young and had potential? Stop shaming the deceased, I bet this article would’ve been more thought worthy if his skin was white. Remember these people had loved ones too, be more respectful.

    1. Be more respectful?? They were out to take others lives as well. Everybody here had it coming.you play you pay. Don’t cry now.Even Trisha should never of been at the scene. Pay your respects at his home to his parents not at a parking lot. She was talking a good one before she got ran over. She wanted vengeance as well But instead Karma got her as well. careful what you wish on others. Death to all gang members,terrorist to their own communities!! No potty here!!

  6. The article mentions a Trejo, that is not related to Claudia Trejo who was a passenger in the hit and run accident, but say he was involved with the 3 other bangers but give no info on this Trejo, almost like a sentence was deleted by mistake or just a badly written article.

  7. Same thought here on the Trejo mention. Someone shot him, but it gives no connection to the between him and the incident.

  8. That’s life they choose the chance they take if they weren’t killed they would have killed someone them self they weren’t flipping boy scouts

    1. Watch how you talk . If that ain’t your family . Someone lost a brother and a cousin . Me . So keep the negative comments .

  9. Is she in prison yet? She’s proud of what she did she’s voiced it many times to me an to others! Her and her new boyfriend from the colonia Juárez gang need to be put away she’s nothing but a meth head

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