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Housing and Development Newsletter
They also are still searching for the suspect in another homicide that occurred in the same vicinity on May 16, 2021.
Mario Angel Merino Gonzalez, 19, of Guadalupe was pronounced dead at the scene of that shooting, police said.
The suspect in that investigation has been identified as Alfredo Alaniz Jr, 21, of Santa Maria.
Alaniz has a tattoo of a S on his right cheek and a tattoo of a ship on the left side of his head.
Police said there is no indication that the two shootings were related.
Last weekend’s shooting marked the sixth homicide investigated by Santa Maria in 2021.
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Housing and Development Newsletter
Police on Saturday named Erik Fernandez Rocha, 20, of Santa Maria as a suspect in the shooting and said a warrant had been issued for Rocha’s arrest.
“The exact motive for the shooting is still under investigation,” Flaa said. This incident does not appear to be gang related.”
Detectives did not say what led them to identify Rocha as a shooting suspect.
Anyone with information as to Rocha’s whereabouts or information related to the investigation can call the Santa Maria Police Department at 805.928.3781 x2277; the tip line at 805.928.3781 x2677 (COPS) or Detective Zack Robbins at 805.928.3781 x1361.