SANTA CRUZ — A Watsonville man who allegedly shot and killed a fleeing burglary suspect on June 30 has been charged with murder.
Eli Gutierrez, 26, was also charged with possession of a semi-automatic weapon, along with several sentencing enhancements. He was not in custody Friday, jail records showed.
The incident occurred June 30 just before 8 p.m. when Dominic Quintana, 32, and Louis Ledesma, 49, broke into a residence on the 100 block of Lawrence Avenue — which reportedly was an illegal marijuana dispensary — to allegedly steal cash and pot.
As they fled, a man at the home opened fire with a gun, striking Quintana in his driveway, police said.
That’s when Ledesma allegedly opened fire with a handgun, and a gun battle ensued. During the melee, he and Quintana dropped their haul.
Police found one man down bleeding from multiple gunshots in the front yard of a home. They administered CPR, but Quintana was pronounced dead at the scene.
Bullet casings, marijuana and cash were scattered throughout the large crime scene.
Ledesma fled and led Watsonville Police on a foot chase across the athletic field at nearby Rolling Hills Middle School, which flanks Holm Road. As one officer closed in, Ledesma spun around and brandished a handgun, but a fast-acting officer slapped the gun out of his hand, police said.
Ledesma, who was on parole at the time of the incident, was then Tased by the officer just before a K-9 officer tackled him. He was then arrested and taken to Watsonville Community Hospital.
Ledesma has been charged with first-degree burglary, conspiracy, carrying a concealed weapon, attempted murder of a police officer and gang charges. He is in custody at Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail, jail records showed.
Elias Gutierrez and his son Eli Gutierrez, 25, were discovered to be the ones running the illegal pot dispensary. Elias Gutierrez has not been charged in connection with the killing.
