More arrests made in s tearns Wharf homicide

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Three juveniles were arrested Thursday on suspicion of involvement with the Dec. 9 murder of Robert Gutierrez at the base of Stearns Wharf.

Those are in addition to the Jan. 19 arrest of four other suspects in the Santa Barbara murder.

On Thursday, the Santa Barbara Police Department, assisted by several outside agencies, served search-and-arrest warrants at multiple locations in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. That’s when the three juveniles were arrested.

Two are in custody for 187 PC (murder), and the third is in custody for possession of a firearm and accessory to murder, Lt. Kasi Corbett said.

She added that a firearm was recovered in Thursday’s searchand-arrest warrants. Lt. Corbett said it is not known at this time if the firearm recovered was used in the commission of this crime.

Robert Gutierrez, a Camarillo resident, was an innocent bystander who was in Santa Barbara with his wife walking on Stearns Wharf when he was struck and killed by one of the rounds that were fired during an altercation between two groups of individuals at the base of the wharf, according to police reports Lt. Corbett said one group involved in the altercation has been identified as Santa Barbara area residents with ties to a local Santa Barbara street gang. The opposing group in the altercation has been identified as Ventura County residents with ties to Ventura County street gangs, Lt. Corbett said.

Anyone with information regarding this homicide investigation is asked to call the Santa Barbara Police Department Detective Bureau at 805-897-2347. email: kzehnder@newspress.com