South Bay Faith And Anti-Gang Leader Found Dead: Report

SAN JOSE, CA A South Bay community and faith leader who’d missing for nearly a month was found dead, The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Robert “Rabbit” Rios, 65, had been missing since June 7, when his Honda Accord was found near Capitol Expressway and McLaughlin Avenue, the report said. Rios’ car was found empty, without any of his personal belongings.

Rios’ body was identified by his 25-year-old son, Diego Rios, the report said.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, which was notified that the faith leader went missing on June 10 by Diego Rios, hadn’t made any arrests or announced any updates in the probe as of Wednesday night according to the report.

Robert Rios was a former gang member who renounced his membership in prison and went on to become a faith leader with Victory Outreach Church. He'd served time for robbery and drug charges, the report said.

He counseled prospective gang members he sought out at high schools, in juvenile hall and those he encountered on the streets, discouraging them from making some of the mistakes he'd made, the report said.

Lisa Cuevas, a 64-year-old longtime friend of Rios told The Mercury News in a previous report on the South Bay faith leader that he influenced many people.

“Everybody knows him,” said Cuevas, according to the report.

“He’s helped a lot of people since he turned his life around and has really been there for people.”

Read more in The San Jose Mercury News