SANTA ANA — A 19-year-old was charged Thursday with a gang-related fatal stabbing of another man in Santa Ana.
Ricky Raymond Rocha was charged with murder with a special-circumstances allegation of murder for a gang and a felony count of participating in criminal street gang. He also faces sentencing enhancements for gang activity and personal use of a deadly weapon.
Rocha is accused of killing the man on July 12, according to the criminal complaint. A Santa Ana Police news release said that on the evening of July 12, police learned of a stabbing victim who arrived at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital. The victim reported he was stabbed in the area of Euclid Street and McFadden Avenue.
The victim, who died July 13 at a local trauma center, was identified by police as Javier Rivera, 51, of Cathedral City.
Santa Ana Police Department Officer Natalie Garcia, the department’s public information officer, said Rocha and the victim were both documented gang members.
Rocha did not enter a plea at his Thursday arraignment, which was rescheduled for Dec. 14 in the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana. He was ordered held with no bail.
Anyone with information on the case was asked to call SAPD Homicide Section Detectives at (714) 245-8390, or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS. This case is eligible for the Gang Reward Program, police said.
City News Service contributed to this story.
