Jason Matthew Contreras

A beloved son, brother, cousin, and friend, Jason Matthew Contreras is remembered by those who knew him as a humble and loyal man. A 32-year-old Hispanic male, Jason was a graduate of Gilroy High School and was considered a great guy who was like a brother and even a father figure to some. His life was tragically cut short in what became the first and only homicide in the city of Gilroy, California, for the year 2017.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, November 29, 2017, at about 4:30 p.m., Jason was sitting in a parked car with several other people on the 7500 block of Alexander Street in east Gilroy. According to witnesses, he got out of the vehicle and became involved in a verbal altercation with another man. The argument escalated with shocking speed, and the other man fired at least two shots, striking Jason in the chest and abdomen. A friend who was with him yelled his name, "Wake up Jason!," and used Jason's shirt to try and stop the bleeding while telling someone else to call for an ambulance. Paramedics rushed to the residential street, but Jason’s injuries were too severe. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Gilroy Police Department launched an investigation into the shooting, which they soon stated was being investigated as a gang-related incident. Within days, they identified a suspect: 20-year-old Jay Robert Vasquez. Police obtained a Ramey warrant for his arrest on charges of murder and committing a crime for the benefit of a street gang. He was considered armed and dangerous, and authorities asked the public for any information regarding his whereabouts. A memorial of flowers, 49ers gear, and messages of love soon grew on the sidewalk where Jason had lost his life.

For five months, Vasquez remained at large. The search for him came to an end on April 19, 2018. Agents with the U.S. Marshals Service and a regional fugitive apprehension team had an apartment complex on Charlotte Drive in San Jose under surveillance. They watched as Vasquez entered a vehicle and drove away from the complex. Agents conducted a traffic stop and arrested him without incident.

Following the arrest, Gilroy police executed a search warrant on an apartment associated with Vasquez and reported finding evidence related to the murder investigation. Vasquez was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on a homicide warrant with his bail set at $10 million. The case then entered the court system for litigation. As of the latest available public information from April 2018, the case was proceeding through the legal system following the arrest and booking of the suspect.

Anyone with information about the murder of Jason Contreras was urged to contact the Gilroy Police Department at 408-846-0350 or Detective Eric Cryar at 408-846-0335. Callers could remain anonymous.