Salomon Morales-Robles, a 37-year-old resident of Santa Maria, California, was tragically killed on November 2, 2018. He was discovered by Santa Maria Police officers in the 1200 block of West Bethel Lane at approximately 11:32 p.m. Morales-Robles had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident was part of a series of violent events that night, as shortly after midnight on November 3, two additional victims were found with gunshot wounds in the 1900
block of South Ybarra Avenue. These victims were treated at a hospital and later released.
The investigation into Morales-Robles' death led to the arrest of several juveniles. Initially, a juvenile named Augustin F. was detained on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, discharge of a firearm causing death, and gang enhancements. Subsequently, another juvenile, Carlos V., aged 17, was also charged in connection with the murder. Carlos faced charges of murder and two counts of attempted murder related to the shootings on November 3. The charges against him included special allegations of firearm use and committing the crimes for the benefit of a criminal street gang.
Both juveniles' cases were initially filed in Santa Maria Juvenile Court. Due to their ages, the court had to determine whether their cases should be transferred to adult court, where they could face harsher penalties. The prosecution and defense were scheduled to argue this matter in January 2019. The cases were influenced by Proposition 57, a law passed in 2016 that eliminated the power of prosecutors to directly file juvenile cases in Superior Court.
The tragic death of Salomon Morales-Robles and the subsequent legal proceedings highlight the ongoing issues of gang-related violence in Santa Maria. The community continues to grapple with the impact of such incidents, as law enforcement and the judicial system work to address and mitigate gang activity in the area.
