Ernesto Garcia Cruz, a 27-year-old resident of Salinas, California, was tragically killed on June 5, 2018. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. in the parking lot of El Dorado Park. Cruz was sitting in his car when a male suspect approached and shot him multiple times. The Salinas Police Department initially reported that Cruz did not appear to have any gang affiliations, and the motive for the shooting was unclear at the time.
The investigation into Cruz's death revealed that Alexandra
Romayor, 19, played a significant role in luring him to the location where he was ambushed. Romayor's boyfriend, Santos Fonseca, was identified as the shooter. According to police testimony, Fonseca chose Cruz as a target because Cruz and Romayor had been intimate before she met Fonseca. This personal connection, combined with Fonseca's desire to prove his loyalty to a gang leader, led to the fatal shooting.
Romayor was charged with second-degree murder and later pleaded no contest. She was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison by Monterey County Superior Court Judge Pamela Butler. In addition to her involvement in Cruz's murder, Romayor also faced charges related to another killing. She was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact and a gun charge in the June 2, 2018, murder of Lorenzo Gomez Acosta, who was shot outside his home while on a video call with his wife in Mexico. Romayor received an additional two years and eight months in prison for these charges.
Fonseca, who was also involved in Acosta's murder, was sentenced to 150 years to life in prison for his crimes. In November 2019, Fonseca managed to escape from the Monterey County Jail but was apprehended a few days later while attempting to cross back into the United States from Mexico. His escape added nearly three years to his sentence.
The court proceedings highlighted the senseless nature of the crimes and the profound impact on the victims' families. Cruz's sister expressed the deep sorrow and disruption his death caused, particularly to her young children who lost their beloved uncle. The families of both victims shared their grief and the lasting pain caused by these tragic events. Romayor, in her statement to the court, apologized to the families and acknowledged the mistakes that led to her involvement in the murders.
