On June 26, 2023, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Salinas police responded to a ShotSpotter alert near the railroad tracks close to Rianda Circle. Upon arrival, officers discovered 32-year-old Ismael "Angel" Ledesma suffering from multiple gunshot wounds near a tent. He was promptly transported to a local trauma center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation led authorities to identify 36-year-old San Francisco resident, Anthony Michael Jacinto, as the primary suspect.
Evidence, including DNA recovered from an untraceable semi-automatic pistol and cell phone records, indicated that Jacinto had premeditated the attack. On November 8, 2023, while already in custody at the Monterey County Jail on unrelated charges, Jacinto was formally booked for Ledesma's murder.
Further inquiries revealed that later on the same day of Ledesma's murder, Jacinto visited his girlfriend's aunt's residence in Salinas. During a family dinner, he unexpectedly attacked the aunt, stabbing her in the abdomen and holding the knife in place for over 20 seconds. The victim was transported to Natividad Medical Center, where she was initially declared deceased but was subsequently revived by medical professionals.
In March 2024, Jacinto was convicted of first-degree murder for Ledesma's death and attempted murder for the assault on his girlfriend's aunt. The court sentenced him to 75 years to life for the murder, with an additional 28 years for the attempted murder, totaling over 100 years in prison. The sentencing also took into account a prior armed robbery committed by Jacinto in Nevada, which contributed to the length of his prison term.
