'Lifelong Gangster' Found in Gilroy Facing Decades in Prison

Raul Perez Rodriguez, a 37-year-old Watsonville man, was convicted on Monday of deliberate, premeditated attempted murder, Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee announced. 

Rodriguez was also found guilty of inflicting great bodily injury and participation in a criminal street gang.

The charges stem from an Oct. 23, 2011 attack on an innocent bystander trying to park his car on Bixby Street in Santa Cruz.

"Police believe that Rodriguez either mistook the victim for a rival gang member or simply didn't care whether the victim was gang-affiliated or not," the DA's Office said in an email to Patch. "Rodriguez stabbed the victim at least five times in the chest and hands while shouting gang slogans."

He then walked away calmly and was tracked down by fingerprints left on the scene. He was found at a motel in Gilroy where he was arrested on Oct. 29.

"Rodriguez was a lifelong gangster" said Assistant District Attorney Charlie Baum, who prosecuted the case. "He had violent convictions going back nearly 20 years, including carjackings and two different gang assaults. This, thankfully, is the end of his gang career on the streets."

ADA Baum also praised the work of the Santa Cruz Police Department and the SCCACT team. "SCPD got the forensic evidence and worked with the SCCACT team to track down the defendant and bring him to justice. the work those officers did allowed us to win the case here today."

Rodriguez claimed he was drunk that night and thought the victim was going to assault him, according to the DA's office. He said he did not remember shouting gang slogans as he stabbed the victim. 

He is now facing life in prison and will be sentenced by a judge on Aug. 27.