Full Notification

Outstanding Panorama City Murder Suspect Arrested

Van Nuys.  Special Agents and detectives with FBI Fugitive Task Force arrested Santiago Gutierrez, 23, this morning at a mobile home complex in Van Nuys, where he had been hiding out with a friend.

“The investigators were following a lead that might point them to Gutierrez,” explained Lt. Paul Vernon, head of detectives for LAPD’s Mission Police Station.  “Turns out that lead was better than expected.”

As investigators questioned 32-year-old Jesus Herrera, a resident of the mobile home in Van Nuys and an associate of Gutierrez, they heard a noise inside a room in the trailer.  When they called the person out, it was Santiago Gutierrez.  He gave up without a fight.

Gutierrez will be booked on the murder warrant as the co-principle to Raul Benitez, 22, who was arrested in April in the shooting death of Alex Moran, 25.  Moran was sitting in a car when Benitez and Gutierrez shot him following a gang confrontation inside a medical marijuana clinic, March 17, 2013.

Herrera was also arrested and will be booked on a charge of Accessory for harboring Gutierrez, a known, wanted felon.

“Gotta say, the FBI Fugitive Task Force does great work!” Lt. Vernon added.

Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call Detective Ryan Verna, Mission Homicide Unit, at (818) 838-9976.  Anonymous tips can be called into Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Online tips may be placed at www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.

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