A man long wanted in connection with a 2018 East Palo Alto Halloween party shooting that left two men dead has been captured in Mexico and brought back to the Peninsula. Julian Santana Rico, whom East Palo Alto police identified years ago as the suspected shooter, is now behind bars as prosecutors move to restart a case that has been stalled for years. Families of the victims say they plan to be in the courtroom when he appears before a judge this week.
Arrest and charges
According to Palo Alto Online, federal authorities arrested Santana Rico in Mexico last Thursday. Court records show he has since been booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City, where he is being held without bail on two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The court calendar lists a hearing for 1:30 PM today.
The arrest effectively closed a year-long manhunt that had grown increasingly desperate. In 2020, community members and law enforcement put up a $20,000 reward for information leading to Santana Rico, as reported by CBS Bay Area.
How the 2018 shooting unfolded
Investigators say the gunfire erupted around 2:45 AM on Oct. 14, 2018, during an outdoor Halloween party held in the yard of A-1 Auto Service and Towing in the 2500 block of Pulgas Avenue near Bay Road. Two men, 22-year-old Eduardo Alvarado Sandoval and 23-year-old Mario Andres Vidales Mendez, died at the scene. Two other people were rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to local coverage at the time.
Witnesses and police reported that a dispute at the party spiraled into a shooting, and the gunman ran off as chaos broke out in the crowd. The case quickly drew intense attention across the region. The Almanac detailed many of the initial findings from the early stages of the investigation.
Families welcome arrest
Relatives of the victims and local advocates are greeting the news of the arrest with a mix of relief and renewed grief. Victims advocate Margaret Petros called the development “long overdue,” reflecting frustration over how long the case has lingered without a suspect in custody.
Veronica Sandoval, mother of Eduardo Alvarado Sandoval, told Palo Alto Online she plans to attend the hearing “for our son, for our family, and for the justice he deserves.”
Roger Smith, a leader with a local nonprofit, described the 2018 shooting as heartbreaking and said the arrest may help provide some measure of closure for families who have been waiting years for movement in the case.
What’s next
Santana Rico faces arraignment and additional court appearances following today’s scheduled hearing, as prosecutors decide how to formally proceed with the case. Authorities have not released further details about how he was tracked down in Mexico. Any new filings or developments are expected to appear in the San Mateo County court docket after the hearing.
