Missing Watsonville woman found dead

A hiker in Corralitos found the body of a 25-year-old Watsonville woman Sunday morning after she had been reported missing under suspicious circumstances Saturday night. 

“This is an ongoing investigation, and we are investigating Lizbeth Arceo Sedano’s death as a homicide,” said Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Ashley Keehn. 

On Wednesday the Sheriff’s Office said that the cause of death was from multiple stab wounds to her torso.

The chain of events began when Sedano’s partner Joshua Gonzalez showed up at Watsonville Police Department just after 9pm Saturday, Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said.   Outside the department he called 911 to tell dispatchers to  say he had a knife and was threatening to harm the couple’s three-year-old daughter.

The first responding officer, who was just down the street, stepped out of his patrol car and ordered Gonzalez to drop the knife. Gonzalez ignored his commands and charged at the officer, who opened fire. Gonzalez was taken to an out-of-county trauma center, where he is in stable condition.  

“The three-year-old was unharmed and is now under the care of family members,” Pulido said.

Later that evening, Pulido said investigators were concerned about Sedano’s safety and asked for the public’s help in finding her.

On Monday, WPD Chief Jorge Zamora spoke of Gonzalez’s lengthy criminal record, which runs between 2018 and 2022.

“He’s been arrested before, as far back as  2018, mostly for assault on a peace officer and assault on first responders, including firefighters and paramedics,” Zamora said. 

Sedano’s body was found at the intersection of Eureka Canyon and Grizzly Flat roads about six miles into the Santa Cruz Mountains from Corralitos.

The Sheriff’s office is now handling the death, since her body was found in their jurisdiction.

The Santa Cruz County District Attorney will investigate the stabbing death.

Zamora said that once Gonzalez is released from the hospital, he will be arraigned for assault on a peace officer, attempted  murder of a peace officer and child endangerment.

Watsonville Police recovered the knife that Gonzalez used to threaten the child and attack the officer outside their department.  

Zamora said that WPD has been questioned about why the officer—who has not been named—didn’t use a Taser or de-escalation tactics.

“There is simply not enough time,” he said. “When a man says going to harm his child and he runs at you with a knife, there is very little time for de-escalation.”

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call 831.471.1151.

This story has been updated.