KING CITY — Local police have arrested two people in connection with the murder of two residents last Sunday in King City, and are asking for the public’s help in locating additional suspects who remain at large.
According to King City Police Department, gunshots were reported Dec. 26 at 1:22 p.m. in the area of Sussex Way and Wellington Avenue in King City. Local officers responded to the area, where they found a 20-year-old male and an 18-year-old female dead at the scene from apparent gunshot wounds.
The victims have been identified as Carlos Manuel Lopez Sanchez, 20, and Selena Gonzalez Godoy, 18, both of King City.
“The personnel of the King City Police Department offer our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Lopez Sanchez and Ms. Godoy,” police said in a news release Thursday.
Investigative efforts between King City and Greenfield police departments, which included interviewing witnesses and reviewing home surveillance videos and footage from the King City Citywide Camera System, led to the identification of a suspect vehicle, a gray 2006 GMC Yukon.
The Yukon, which has been recovered by law enforcement, was seen “arriving in the area at the time of the incident from which the suspects exited the Yukon and confronted the victims,” police said. “The suspects then returned to the Yukon and fled the area rapidly.”
Detectives identified the murder suspects as Elizar Ayron Arellano, 19, of King City, and Raul Omar Lucas, 20, of Salinas. Warrants were issued for their arrests, in addition to search warrants for a residence in the 900 block of Broadway Street in King City and the 900 block of Rider Street in Salinas.
During the search of the residences on Dec. 27, police recovered a non-serialized assault weapon.
Rocio Villa Vasquez Martinez, 28, of Salinas, was subsequently arrested and booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges for possession of an assault weapon, possession of a short-barreled rifle, possession of a large capacity magazine and child endangerment. She was later charged with aiding and abetting in the murder of the victims.
An additional search warrant was executed in the 700 block of Elton Drive in Salinas with the assistance of the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
On Dec. 29, members of the Salinas Police Department Violence Suppression Task Force, working in collaboration with King City Police, located and arrested one of the suspects, Lucas, in Salinas. He was then booked into the Monterey County Jail for two counts of murder.
King City Police is seeking the public’s assistance in locating the other suspect, Arellano, who is considered armed and dangerous.
“If members of the public know the whereabouts of Arellano, they are asked to not attempt to contact Arellano as he is considered armed and dangerous, and instead contact the King City Police Department at 831-755-5111 and advise them they believe they have seen Arellano, the location and time where they saw Arellano, a description of Arellano’s clothing and any vehicle that may be related to him,” police said.
On Thursday, King City Police also announced they have determined that there are two additional suspects involved in the double-murder case, but no other details were released.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation or who may know associates of Arellano or Lucas is asked to contact Sgt. Joshue Partida of KCPD at 831-386-5988 or jp******@ki******.com; or call the anonymous WeTip line at 1-800-78-CRIME.
