In Riverside, California, a man was taken into custody by law enforcement for the alleged homicide of a victim nearly twenty years ago.
On July 8, Mexican authorities apprehended Luis Contreras, 50, in Mexicali. He has since been extradited to Riverside County to face charges. The primary suspect in the 2005 murder of 38-year-old Vera is Contreras. Vera was discovered deceased in a residence located on the 4700 block of Doane Avenue in Riverside, California, from multiple gunshot wounds.
Vera attempted to prevent Contreras from physically assaulting his fiancée in the street, as indicated by eyewitness accounts. Allegedly, Contreras entered the scene and fired multiple shots at Vera before escaping the area.
Two of the three suspects who were suspected of involvement in the case were apprehended weeks after Vera’s murder. The second suspect was not prosecuted due to a lack of evidence, while one was charged with accessory to murder and received a three-year prison sentence. Detectives reported that witnesses observed two vehicles departing the vicinity; however, they were unsuccessful in apprehending Contreras before he departed for Mexico.
The Homicide Cold Case Unit of the Riverside Police Department resumed the search for Contreras in June. They collaborated with the department’s METRO Team and the U.S. Marshals Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force to conclude the arrest latintimes stated.
Contreras was apprehended in Mexicali by U.S. Marshals and Mexican law enforcement a few weeks later. He was subsequently transferred to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department jail, where he was booked for homicide and is currently awaiting prosecution.