Sheriff’s Office Needs Communities’ Help with Crime

I have attended numerous community and neighborhood meetings over the last
year to talk with folks about crime issues in the unincorporated area of the county.
If there is one central point I make at these meetings, it is this: there are only a few
of us with large patrol area responsibilities and we need your help.  Crime is a
community issue and residents are our “eyes and ears” to alert us. If people don’t
call, we may not find out about the crime for some time. We need your help.

We have experienced a number of violent acts throughout the county recently.
On February 17, 2006, deputies responded to a man that had been shot in the
area of 17^th Avenue and Merrill Street.  He was found to be suffering from gunshot
wounds and transported by medical helicopter to an out-of-county trauma center
where he was stabilized.  He had apparently been confronted by alleged gang
members as he walked home. He had been asked about his gang affiliations and
ran off whereupon shots rang out. Our deputies located and arrested one suspect,
a 17 year old male, with a handgun.

In the evening hours of March 13, 2006, motorists traveling on Larkin Valley Road
near Buena Vista Drive in the Watsonville area found a male victim suffering from
gunshot wounds on the ground next to the roadway.  Deputies and paramedics rushed
to the scene and attempted to render medical aid to the victim but he did not survive his
wounds.  Following leads developed during this investigation, sheriff’s detectives attempted
to locate suspect Oscar Cabrera aka Oscar Amescua without success.  Detectives learned
that the victim had been in the company of Cabrera that evening in the suspect’s car and
apparently stopped by the side of the road on Larkin Valley where the victim was shot
and left. Autopsy results showed that the victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds causing
his death.  Working throughout that night, detectives obtained a search warrant for the
suspect’s house and interviewed family members. As a result, it was determined that
Cabrera had fled the county.  An arrest warrant for murder has been issued for Cabrera
and we need your help locating Cabrera. He is considered armed and dangerous.

On March 14, 2006, deputies responded with firefighters to 4150 Soquel Drive, Soquel,
to a report of a trailer fire.  At the scene, firefighters found the burned body of a woman.
Also at the scene was the woman’s husband, John Rounce, who had suffered burns and
was unresponsive at the scene. He was taken to the hospital.  On March 17, 2006, an
autopsy was performed on Mrs. Rounce’s remains by our county pathologist which revealed
that her death was caused by multiple stab wounds, and not by the fire.  Deputies learned
the couple had been in an argument prior to the fire.  After analysis of the evidence in the
case along with arson investigators from Central Fire Department, Rounce was eventually
interviewed and subsequently arrested for murder.

Early Saturday morning on March 18, 2006, a visitor to Greyhound Rock Park discovered
the burned remains of a female in the parking lot.  Deputies determined that the young woman
was likely killed elsewhere and intentionally burned in an apparent attempt to conceal the manner
of death.  The victim had no identification and was badly burned. The victim’s death is considered
a homicide.

Sheriff’s detectives believe the woman is likely Asian or of Asian mixed descent, 5’4” tall,
weighing 120 pounds.  The victim has dark hair, possibly dyed , with the color of deep reddish
brown or bronze.  The victim’s hair was 10” in length, wavy in appearance, and tied in a ponytail.
The victim had an “Element” brand t-shirt and a religious medallion. Sketches of the victim, the shirt,
and medallion can be viewed by visiting the Sheriff’s Office website at:  www.scsheriff.com.

Detectives have reviewed approximately 100 missing person cases to date and fielded many calls
about this investigation. Deputies need the public’s help in identifying this victim and solving this case.

As you can see, witnesses from the general public have already helped the Sheriff’s Office
with these cases but we need further information. If you have information about any of these cases,
please call the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office at:

Sheriff’s Investigation Division :   (831) 454-2311      8:00 Am to 5:00PM

Sheriff’s Anonymous TipLine:      (831) 454-2847       24 hours

Remember, only with your help can we make Santa Cruz County a place where all people
can live safely and without fear.