Investigation Led Them to University Dormitory
WATSONVILLE—Detectives from the Watsonville Police Department have made arrests in a week long investigation of a brutal assault and robbery of a Watsonville market that led them from California State University-Monterey Bay, to the City of Castroville, and down to Southern California. The incident happened on Sunday, September 7. They have now arrested 19-year-old Crecencio Ramirez and two 17-year-old juveniles.
This small neighborhood market was the target of a brutal armed robbery.
On Tuesday, September 16, Watsonville Police Detectives followed a lead in their investigation that brought them to the dormitories at California State Monterey Bay. That is where they believed that one of the juvenile suspects in the assault of a store clerk was staying with his girlfriend. He was taken into custody shortly after leaving the campus at noon. The adult in this case, 19-year-old Crecencio Ramirez, was tracked to his place of employment in Castroville where he was arrested.
Crecencio Ramirez Facebook image showing his Coachella connection. One of the other suspects was captured there.
Watsonville Police were able to track the third suspect down in Southern California. They believed that he fled the area after the robbery. Watsonville Police arrested him in Coachella with assistance from local law enforcement.
“We believe that one of the 17-year-olds was the one that beat the store clerk.”, Watsonville Police Investigation Sergeant Eric Montalbo said, “We also believe that he fled shortly after the robbery and media reports.”
Ramirez posted this photo of himself Sept. 9, two days after the robbery. (Facebook)
They have been accused of attacking a store clerk in a robbery of the ‘La Tiendita Market’ on Rodriguez Street in Watsonville, leaving him with a fractured skull.
The Juveniles were both booked into the Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall. Ramirez was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail. He and the two teens have been charged with robbery in the first degree, assault with a deadly weapon not a firearm, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Ramirez’s bail has been set at $750,000.00.
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CrimeVoice: Suspects still sought in brutal robbery
