2 Arrested In Shooting Death Of 17-Year-Old In Santa Clara: Police

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA -- Two suspects in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old South Bay boy last week in Santa Clara were tracked down in Modesto and are currently jailed on suspicion of homicide, police said Monday.

Giovanny Ortiz, 25, of San Jose, and Eric Carter, 18, of Santa Clara were taken into custody Friday at a motel in Modesto. With the help of the Modesto Police Department, they were arrested without incident, according to Santa Clara police Lt. Dan Moreno.

The victim, identified by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office as 17-year-old Alexis Cardenas Gutierrez, was found by a Santa Clara police officer about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday near Brookdale and Bing drives. The officer was responding to what he thought were the sound of fireworks; instead, he found Cardenas Guiterrez inside a crashed vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound, Moreno said.

Cardenas Guiterrez was rushed to a local hospital in grave condition. Two days later, he died from his injuries.

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After officers searched the area but were unable to locate any suspects, detectives began working around the clock following leads and interviewing witnesses, Moreno said.

The lieutenant did not disclose a possible motive in the crime but said police do not believe the shooting was random. The victim and the suspects "had a mutual friend in common," Moreno told Patch.

According to Moreno, Cardenas Guiterrez was a San Jose resident up until recently when he and his family moved to Morgan Hill.

Ortiz and Carter were transported from Modesto, then booked into Santa Clara County jail on suspicion of murder, Moreno said.

Jail records indicated Ortiz and Carter were booked Saturday and remained behind bars Monday with no bail allowed. Their initial court appearances were scheduled for noon Tuesday.

Police were continuing their investigation and asked anyone with information to contact detective Sgt. Saskia Lagergren at 408-615-4823.