Watsonville Stabbing: Man Died Of Hemorrhagic Shock

WATSONVILLE, CA — The Watsonville man that law enforcement alleges was killed at home by his brother Friday died after losing so much blood from a large stab wound behind the knee that his body began shutting down, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.

The official cause of death is hemorrhagic shock and the forensic pathologist ruled the death a homicide after the Monday autopsy of Christopher Keeler, 26.

Brother Joseph Keeler, 28, is charged with murder in connection with the attack. He made his first court appearance Tuesday, but has not yet entered a plea, The Pajaronian reported.

Prosecutors allege that the older Keeler stabbed his younger brother multiple times in his torso and the back of his legs, the paper reported. Prosecutors have not yet publicly released a motive, and say that he has a history of using knives and could be a threat to public safety.

Deputies received two calls from residents of the 1400 block of Green Valley Road around 2 a.m. Friday reporting a disturbance at the property, the sheriff's office said. Deputies found the younger Keeler had been stabbed.

First responders took him to an out-of-county trauma center, where he succumbed to his injury.

The Keeler brothers lived on the same property, said sheriff's office spokesperson Ashley Keehn.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call 831-454-7635.