In the early hours of March 14, 2023, 32-year-old Jeffrey Dempler of Gilroy, California, tragically lost his life while attempting to prevent the theft of his car. Awakened by noises outside his residence on Pheasant Drive, Dempler and his long-time girlfriend, Stephanie Brennan, observed a man breaking into his 25-year-old Subaru Impreza. Rushing downstairs, Dempler confronted the thief, who was seated in the driver's seat of the running vehicle. During the confrontation, the assailant produced a firearm and shot Dempler once in the chest before fleeing the scene in the stolen car. Despite immediate medical attention, Dempler succumbed to his injuries en route to the hospital.
The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Angel Ochoa-Moreno of Oakland, was apprehended shortly after the incident. Utilizing information provided by Brennan, law enforcement agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, located the stolen Subaru and initiated a pursuit along U.S. Highway 101. The chase concluded near Salinas after officers deployed spike strips to disable the vehicle. Ochoa-Moreno was taken into custody without further incident. He has a prior criminal record in Alameda County for auto theft and evading arrest. Following his arrest, Ochoa-Moreno was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on charges including murder and carjacking.
Investigations revealed that Ochoa-Moreno, along with an unidentified accomplice who remains at large, had been involved in a series of car thefts, primarily targeting vehicles for their catalytic converters. The accomplice fled the scene in a black SUV and has yet to be apprehended. Authorities continue to search for this individual and urge anyone with information to come forward. The tragic loss of Jeffrey Dempler has deeply affected his family, friends, and the local community, who remember him as a passionate and selfless individual with a profound love for cars and mechanical pursuits.
