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Carlos Vasquez Martinez, 27, of Watsonville, California, was shot to death on June 12, 2015. He was found with a gunshot wound at a homeless encampment behind businesses on Main Street in Watsonville and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators identified 32-year-old Luciano Acevedo Jr. as the primary suspect and arrested him after a week-long manhunt that ended in Salinas, California. Acevedo was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals and Watsonville police following a standoff at a motel. Witnesses at the shooting scene identified Acevedo as the shooter; he has a prior criminal record that includes a 2008 fatal hit-and-run and drug offenses. Authorities also detained Acevedo’s girlfriend, Amparo Negrete Rodriguez, on outstanding warrants.
Acevedo was charged with first-degree murder and a parole violation, and prosecutors indicated additional charges were expected, including use of a firearm in the commission of a crime. The motive has not been made clear; authorities noted Acevedo’s gang affiliations but said it was uncertain whether the killing was gang-related. Is there anyone who knew Carlos or who witnessed that night who can help fill in what happened?