Suspect found in 1982 cold case murder of Salinas nightclub owner, deputies say
By Tim Fang
More than four decades after a Salinas nightclub owner was found dead, authorities said they have solved the case and located a suspect.
According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Cruz Gomez was found on Williams Road near Old Stage Road in the early morning of Apr. 10, 1982. Gomez was the owner of Dos Reyes nightclub.
An initial investigation determined Gomez was beaten and murdered in another location before he was found on the roadway.
Witnesses at the time identified Saul Ramirez and one other person as potential suspects. Deputies said the pair were at the nightclub shortly before Gomez had left the bar.
A tip from the public led investigators to a motorhome belonging to Ramirez at the Mission El Dorado camp in Huron, a community in Fresno County. Investigators collected blood evidence and other items, but no suspects were able to be charged at the time.
The sheriff’s office said they developed DNA profiles from the evidence in the motorhome. As technology progressed, detectives working with the Monterey County Cold Case Task Force were able to collect enough evidence to charge a suspect.
On Friday, detectives filed a detainer on Ramirez in connection with Gomez’s killing. Ramirez is being held at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County in an unrelated case.
The sheriff’s office said Friday they were presenting the case for murder charges with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
“The Sheriff’s Office has a relentless commitment to solving all cold cases throughout Monterey County’s history,” Sheriff Tina Nieto said in a statement. “The cold case detectives are driven by a desire to provide closure for families and to hold the perpetrators accountable.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Richard Geng of the sheriff’s office at 831-759-7279 or Detective Sgt. Nicholas Kennedy at 831-755-3773.
