Venko Gospodinov (Contributed)

A San Jose man was arrested in Capitola on Oct. 5 on suspicion of the murder of a woman in San Jose. 

Venko Gospodinov was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for murder. 

On Sunday around 2:50am, San Jose Police responded to a residence in the 900 block of Wainwright Drive after the victim’s adult son told police he found his mother dead. Officers located the adult female inside the residence who was dead and showed signs of trauma, SJPD said.

Homicide detectives identified Gospodinov as the primary suspect. Utilizing data from license plate reader cameras, they learned that he was in the Capitola area and notified local agencies. California Highway Patrol officers found Gospodinov in Capitola shortly after and took him into custody without incident. 

The motive and circumstances surrounding the event are still under investigation, SJPD said.  

The identity of the victim has not been released. 

This incident is being investigated as San Jose’s 22nd homicide of 2025.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Sgt.Varela or Det Montoya of the San Jose Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 408.277.5283.

This story has been edited with the correct date of arrest.

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Tarmo Hannula has been the lead photographer with The Pajaronian newspaper in Watsonville since 1997. More recently Good Times & Press Banner. He also reports on a wide range of topics, including police, fire, environment, schools, the arts and events. A fifth generation Californian, Tarmo was born in the Mother Lode of the Sierra (Columbia) and has lived in Santa Cruz County since the late 1970s. He earned a BA from UC Santa Cruz and has traveled to 33 countries.

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