Santa Cruz Co. Man Surrenders At Jail On Murder Charge

WATSONVILLE, CA – A 25-year-old Watsonville man, Eli Gutierrez, turned himself in Wednesday at the Santa Cruz Jail after an arrest warrant was issued for him in connection with a June slaying that occurred during an armed hold-up at an illegal marijuana dispensary operated by the suspect and his father, according to authorities.

One of two alleged armed robbers, 32-year-old Dominic Quintana, of Watsonville, was shot dead June 30 at about 8:50 p.m. in the driveway at the dispensary along Lawrence Avenue and South Green Valley Road, the Watsonville Police Department said.

The shooting victim and his purported accomplice, Louis Ledesma, 49 of Watsonville, stole "a large amount" of cash and marijuana at gunpoint from the pot operation, reportedly run out of the home of Gutierrez and his father, Elias Gutierrez, police said.

Quintana died in an exchange of gunfire as he and Ledesma ran from the scene, the department said.

Ledesma was apprehended nearby after leading police on a foot chase in the Holm Road and Anna Street area. Officers knocked a gun from his hand and used a Taser stun gun, plus the assistance of a K-9 cop to place him under arrest, police said at the time.

Eli and Elias Gutierrez were arrested for murder the following day, however, the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office held off filing charges pending a full review of the investigation, officials said.

Last week, authorities issued the arrest warrant for Eli Gutierrez. Since surrendering Wednesday, he was booked on suspicion of murder and gun enhancement, held on $1.5 million bail and is expected to make a court appearance today or Friday.

Ledesma is due back in court early next year for a preliminary hearing.

No update for the case against Elias Gutierrez was available.

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• Coroner IDs Man Killed In Robbery At Non-Permitted Dispensary
• Watsonville Shooting Kills 1

--Photos from July via Watsonville PD of Eli Gutierrez, arrests and Louis Ledesma