Facial Tattoo, Confiscated ID Led To Fatal San Jose Stabbing
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Six family members now face homicide charges in the recent slaying of a beloved San Jose Little League coach outside a South Bay restaurant and bar.
On Wednesday, KPIX 5 learned a facial tattoo and confiscated ID may have led to the deadly February 26 stabbing.
"As terrible as it sounds, this tragedy occurred over something as simple as a confiscated driver's license," said Prosecutor Lance Daughtery.
According to newly unsealed court documents, prosecutors said beloved Little League baseball coach Frank Navarro was killed after a dispute over refusing to admit a man with a facial tattoo.
Investigators said murder suspect Joseph Esquivel tried to get inside the Tres Gringos Nightclub where Navarro worked security, but was stopped at the door.
"Tres Gringos has a policy where they don't allow face tattoos," said Daughtery. "So Joseph Esquivel, who has a tattoo on his eye, covered it up with makeup and asked his brother Santos for his ID so he could get in."
Prosecutors said a security guard confiscated the ID. When he refused to give it back, Esquivel, his sister, 25-year-old Percella Esquivel and brother 21-year-old Santos Trevino called their cousins -- 32-year-old Robert Ruiz, 24-year-old Aaron Vallejo and 20-year-old Andrew Cervantes -- for back-up.
A fight broke out and, when Navarro tried to intervene, prosecutors say Trevino stabbed him to death.
The first two suspects, Ruiz and Vallejo, were arrested on February 26 after fleeing the scene of the stabbing.
Trevino was arrested March 2nd in Rocklin. On March 3rd, police arrested Esquivel and his sister in San Jose. Cervantes was arrested Tuesday in San Jose.
All six family members have now been charged with murder.
"Justice needs to be served in this case," said family friend Angela Tirado. "This is a senseless tragedy that did not need to occur."
Prosecutors said they charged all six defendants with murder -- not just the one who did the stabbing -- because all six came to the nightclub with the intent of being part of a violent confrontation and are equally responsible for its deadly result.
