4:00pm | Police announced that they arrested five suspects today in connection with intimidating witnesses during an ongoing murder trial.
In the murder trial of defendants Jason Trejo and Eric Benites, suspected of the 2008 murder of Florentino Rivera, detectives became aware that some testifying witnesses and the families of those witnesses were being intimidated.
“Witnesses coming forward to testify are crucial to the successful prosecution of cases, and bringing justice to murder victims and their families is just as important,” said Lieutenant Lloyd Cox, in a statement. “Incidents of witness intimidation will never be tolerated, will always be thoroughly investigated, and the suspects will be held to answer.”
Trejo and Benites stand accused of shooting Rivera on January 11, 2008 near 10th Street and Martin Luther King Avenue. Rivera was killed and two other victims were injured in the gunfire. Trejo was 14 at the time and Benites was 15, but both are being tried as adults. Rivera was 16 when he was killed.
The Press-Telegram reported on Tuesday that a key witness in the trial admitting to lying on the stand because she feared retaliation from the suspects’ gang. She admitted to lying about the name and age of her boyfriend because, he said, he belongs to a rival gang.
The names and ages of those arrested for witness intimidation are listed below. All are Long Beach residents.
Jose Garcia 19
Jesus Perez 21
Bernardo Villareal 19
Jorge Gomez 32
Efren Flores 19
The announcement of today’s arrests are a chilling reminder of the influence that gang violence and the Stop Snitchin’ campaign have on our communities. In May, two teenage girls were arrested for Witness Intimidation in the murder case of 16-year old Melody Ross. Witnesses have been extremely difficult to come by in that case due to similar fears.