Sheriff's Detectives Make Arrests in Murder Investigation

Santa Barbara - May 15th, 2008

On September 17th, The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department began investigating the homicide of 23 year old Adan Cervantes Ruiz.  Mr. Ruiz was found wrapped in a sleeping bag along Highway 154, about one mile east of Highway 101. The investigation into the death of Mr. Ruiz revealed that Servando Cabrera, Jose Juan Villa-Cervantes, Horacio Santoyo, and Dimas Santoyo were involved in the planning and murder of Adan Ruiz.

This murder took place on the evening of September 15, 2007, as several subjects were transporting processed and packaged marijuana out of their marijuana grow site, which was located south of the City of Lompoc along Highway 1. This marijuana grow site was later found and eradicated by Sheriff’s Narcotics Detectives with the assistance of C.A.M.P., the site was estimated to be growing approximately 93,000 mature marijuana plants. Through the lengthy and detailed investigation, Detectives were able to obtain information which showed the suspects direct involvement in the planning and murder of Adan Ruiz.

In conjunction with the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office who has reviewed this case, Sheriff’s investigators are confident they have solved the investigation into the murder of Adan Ruiz.

Servando Cabrera (20 years of age) of Perris, California, Jose Juan Villa-Cervantes, (26 years of age) of Perris, California, Horacio Santoyo (19 years of age) of Santa Maria, California, and Dimas Santoyo (29 years of age) of Santa Maria, California, were arrested on today’s date and all were booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail for 187 PC – Murder, and held without bail.    

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