Crime & Safety
Hells Angel Member Wanted for Cemetery Shooting Arrested in Fremont
Steven Ruiz, who police said may have been hiding out in Gilroy in December, is believed to have shot and killed Steve Tausan during an altercation at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Oct.
San Jose police have announced the arrest of 38-year-old Steven Ruiz of San Jose. Ruiz is a suspect wanted for the shooting of a Hells Angel member during a funeral for another murdered Hells Angels leader in October.
Ruiz, who has connections in Gilroy according to a KSBW article, was suspected of in December. But on Saturday, homicide detectives received information that Ruiz was staying at a Days Inn motel located at 46101 Warm Springs Blvd. in Fremont, police said.
Members of the San Jose Police Department's Covert Response Unit responded to the motel and arrested Ruiz for murder. Ruiz is believed to have shot and killed 52-year-old Steve Tausan during an altercation at the Oak Hill Cemetery on Curtner Avenue on Oct. 15, police said.
Find out what's happening in Gilroywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The two men were attending the funeral of the president of the San Jose chapter of Hells Angels Jeffrey Pettigrew, 52, who was killed at John Ascuaga's Nugget casino resort in Sparks, Nev. on the night of Sept. 23. Pettigrew had been at the casino with Gilroy Hells Angel member at the time of the shooting.
Ruiz had disappeared after Tausan was murdered, and much of the evidence at the crime scene appeared to have been tampered with by other guests at the funeral.
Find out what's happening in Gilroywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
—Bay City News and Gilroy Patch
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