Luis Diaz-Cervantes

Luis Gerardo Diaz-Cervantes, known to friends and family as “Lulu” or “Blackass Luis,” is remembered as a larger-than-life personality whose motto was “Family First.” Born on September 12, 1997, in Salinas, California, to Adelfino Diaz and Anna Cervantes, the 21-year-old Hispanic man was one of five siblings. Those who loved him recalled his happy disposition and how he could make anyone’s day better with his humor. His sister, Zayra, remembered being filled with happiness every time she saw him, saying she couldn’t picture the world without him. Another family member described him as someone who kept them "in the clouds," always pushing for spontaneous adventures, like a last-minute trip to the beach. He impacted every person he met and was deeply committed to the happiness of his family.

The life of this beloved young man was cut short in the early morning hours of Saturday, October 27, 2018. At around 2 a.m., Sacramento Police Department officers were dispatched to the 2000 block of West El Camino Avenue in the South Natomas neighborhood after receiving reports of a shooting. When they arrived on the residential street, they discovered Luis suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Paramedics were called to the scene, but his injuries were too severe, and Luis Diaz-Cervantes was pronounced dead. Homicide detectives were called in to canvass the area for evidence and witnesses to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting.

The investigation progressed for nearly two months before authorities publicly identified a person of interest. In late December 2018, the Sacramento Police Department, working with the Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers, announced they were searching for 19-year-old Wendell Gerrold Celestine in connection with the homicide. Police released photographs of Celestine, whose last known address was in Fairfield, and warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. A reward was offered for information leading to his capture, and the public was asked to contact the police with any information on his whereabouts.

The search for the suspect extended beyond California. On Thursday, December 20, 2018, law enforcement located and arrested Wendell Celestine in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sacramento Police Department confirmed that he was taken into custody specifically for the homicide of Luis Diaz-Cervantes. His arrest marked a significant development in the case, bringing a measure of hope to a grieving family that justice would be served.

Following his capture, Celestine was held in Nevada while awaiting extradition to Sacramento to face charges for the murder of Luis Diaz-Cervantes. A GoFundMe campaign was organized to help Luis’s family with funeral expenses, raising thousands of dollars from a community mourning his senseless death. Friends and relatives left messages of love and remembrance, with one writing, “You might be gone but we gone keep your name alive.” As of his arrest in December 2018, the case was proceeding toward litigation.