Suspect in 2006 murder arrested

Gang member fatally shot Crystal Theobald; wounded driver

Riverside, CA -- A suspect in the 2006 murder of 24-year-old Crystal Theobald was among the 11 persons arrested in a warrant arrest sweep of members of the Varrio 5150 criminal street gang, on Wednesday, August 8, 2007.

On the night of Friday, February 26, 2006, suspect Julio Heredia (aka "Lil Huero") and his associates were cruising through the Arlanza neighborhood of Riverside looking to challenge a rival gang. Heredia, now 20, allegedly got out of a SUV he had been riding in, and fired a handgun at a passing vehicle, which sped away. Heredia then allegedly fired several rounds at the Theobald vehicle as it entered the intersection of Greenpoint Avenue and Geranium Place. Bullets struck 20-year-old driver Juan Patlan in the abdomen and Crystal Theobald in the head. Another passenger escaped injury. Justin recovered; Crystal died two days later, on Feb. 26.

Investigation led Riverside Police detectives to a group of Hispanic young men identified as members of Varrio 5150, a La Sierra area-based criminal street gang. Six young men, including Heredia, were determined to have been in the SUV at the time of the shooting, including recently-arrested suspects Joey Campana and Romiro Casillas.

Witnesses contacted by police in connection with the homicide investigation reported being threatened by other members of the 5150 gang, including suspect Billy Enriquez Jr., now 19, known as "Big Huero" and identified as leader of the 5150 gang. Enriquez is still at large. Arrested suspects Jose Ramirez, Daniel Correa and Luis Campana-Contreras took part in witness intimidation that took place in Countryside Park, a small community park the gang claimed by way of extensive graffiti.

Campana-Contreras and four male juvenile suspects allegedly took part in continued intimidation of witnesses in and around the surrounding neighborhood during the following week.