DNA may bring closure for families in murder case
POLICE HDQTRS. — Capital murder charges were filed on Friday against two imprisoned gang members believed to be responsible for the deaths of two men who were shot in a Santa Monica clothing store nearly eight years ago.
David Robles and Jessie Garcia, both 29, are alleged to have fatally shot Michael Juarez, 27, and Anthony Juarez, 19, on Oct. 27, 1998. The Juarez brothers were visiting their cousin’s business, Westside Clothing, when masked gunmen stormed into the store and fired numerous rounds from an assault rifle and pair of handguns.
The shooting spree also left two others severely injured. Frank Juarez Jr., the proprietor of the store, was critically wounded, but survived. A customer who was in the store also was shot and survived.
Robles, also known as “Puppet,” is currently serving an eight-year sentence in Corcoran State Prison. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in February 2001. Garcia, also known as “Psycho,” was convicted of carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon with a firearm causing great bodily injury in May 1999. He is currently in Ironwood State Prison.
The two suspects, who are cousins, have admitted to and are documented as participating in a Los Angeles-based criminal street gang known as the Culver City Boyz.
Both men face two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances; two counts of attempted murder; four counts of personal use of a firearm; four counts of participating in a street gang and committing the crime in furtherance of the gang.
Evidence recovered at the crime scene was processed with current DNA technology. The DNA evidence was sent to the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Forensics Services DNA Laboratory and entered into their databank of known offenders. The samples submitted were matched with Robles and Garcia, said SMPD Lt. Frank Fabrega.
Santa Monica Police Detectives on Friday presented their investigation to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office for review. Within hours, the DA’s office filed charges on both suspects. Because they are in state prison, the DA’s office must seek no-bail arrest warrants for Robles and Garcia. They will likely be transported to Santa Monica Jail, booked and arraigned next week, police said.
Robles’ criminal past includes attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and weapons violations. Garcia’s criminal past includes burglary, auto theft and narcotics violations.
SMPD Chief James T. Butts Jr., along with Santa Monica Mayor Bob Holbrook, personally called the victims’ parents, Bill Juarez and Ginger Berg, on Friday to inform them of the new developments in the 7 1/2 year old investigation.
“We have fulfilled our promise to the parents and family of Anthony and Michael Juarez to be relentless in bringing the murderers of these innocent young men to justice,” Chief Butts said. “It is our hope that the solution of this crime brings some measure of peace to the family.”
“It is our hope that the solution of this crime brings some measure of peace to the family.” — JAMES T. BUTTS JR. SMPD Chief
The murders were believed to be in retaliation for a homicide which occurred just days before the Juarez brothers were gunned down in broad daylight. Apparently, a gang member who was attending a drug class at the Clare Foundation on Lincoln Boulevard was shot while waiting for the bus, sources said, prompting the Culver City Boyz to retaliate against Santa Monica gang members.
Michael and Anthony Juarez were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Westside Clothing was known on the streets as a place for gang members to buy clothing and their cousin, Frank Juarez, who co-owned the store, had gang affiliations but had removed himself from that life, sources said.The Juarez brothers weren’t from Santa Monica, nor affiliated with any gangs. They were interested in opening a store like Westside Clothing where they lived in Cayucos, a small town in San Luis Obispo County. They had come into Santa Monica the night before to check out their cousin’s operation.
The shooters wore masks when they entered the store — which was located between Pacific and Strand streets on Lincoln Boulevard — shortly before noon, opened fire and ran out. Michael and Frank Juarez ran toward the back door to escape the gunfire. Michael Juarez was shot multiple times and Frank Juarez was shot in the leg. Anthony Juarez never made it to the back of the store.
The masked men ran out of the store and got into a car awaiting them on Lincoln Boulevard, driven by an unknown suspect. The SMPD has a composite sketch posted on its Web site of the driver, which is based on witness descriptions. The car was discovered near LAX later that day, wiped clean.
Just a half hour after the murder of the gang member on Oct. 12, a tourist from Germany was killed at the beach. The murder was not related to gang activity.
The wave of killings left an entire community on edge. “It was 10 days of hell,” recalled Holbrook, who was mayor at the time. “It was horrible. People were afraid to go out on Halloween.”
“It was 10 days of hell. It was horrible. People were afraid to go out on Halloween.” — BOB HOLBROOK Santa Monica Mayor
Holbrook has stayed abreast of the investigation since 1998, checking with the SMPD periodically to see if there were any breaks in the case.
“I’m so happy that the police department’s hard work has paid off,” he said.
Over the years, SMPD detectives had been holding out hope that they’d get a break in the case, especially with modern advances in DNA technology. DNA testing was applied at the outset of the case, but the technology was-n’t as advanced eight years ago, detectives said. DNA evidence had been reapplied and reevaluated to the cases, but until recently there had been no hits in the Department of Justice databank.
Michael Juarez was living in his father’s triplex in Cayucos with his wife and daughter at the time of the shooting. He owned and operated a landscaping business. His younger brother Anthony lived next door with his girlfriend and was going to college to earn a degree in business administration and landscape architecture. His plan was to help his brother run the landscaping business.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 15, 2006. Read the original PDF.