Feliciano Martinez Perea, an 18-year-old farmworker from Watsonville, California, tragically lost his life on April 2, 2022. The incident occurred around 8:45 PM at a two-story apartment complex on Riverside Drive. Martinez Perea was shot multiple times and was subsequently transported to an out-of-county trauma center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The shooting marked the first homicide in Santa Cruz County for the year 2022.
The Watsonville Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the murder. Surveillance footage revealed that Martinez Perea was followed by two individuals, Erick DeHaro and Matthew Madriz, both 18 years old. The video showed a confrontation in which Martinez Perea was seen walking backward with his hands up before the suspects opened fire. The police believe that DeHaro and Madriz confronted Martinez Perea in the courtyard of the apartment complex, leading to a brief altercation that ended in gunfire.
In the days following the shooting, the Watsonville Police Department, with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies, arrested both suspects. DeHaro was apprehended on Lincoln Street in Watsonville, while Madriz was arrested at his home in Morgan Hill. The arrests were made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Santa Cruz County and Santa Clara County sheriff’s offices, the Santa Cruz Police Department, and other specialized teams.
The community of Watsonville was deeply affected by the loss of Martinez Perea. More than 200 people gathered in downtown Watsonville to rally against gang violence and to honor his memory. Martinez Perea’s family, who had moved from San Martín Peras, Oaxaca, Mexico, a year prior, described him as a hardworking individual who was not involved in gang activities. He had been working in the Pajaro Valley’s strawberry fields to support his family back in Mexico.
The investigation into Martinez Perea’s death is ongoing, with the Watsonville Police Department continuing to seek information from the public. The case has highlighted the broader issues of violence and safety within the community, prompting calls for increased efforts to prevent such tragedies in the future.
