Update: Watsonville Man Suspected of Fatally Stabbing Brother Arrested After Gilroy Standoff
GILROY (CBS SF) -- Authorities on Thursday confirmed the arrest of a man suspected of fatally stabbing his brother near Watsonville earlier this week following a standoff at a Gilroy hotel.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office issued a release early Thursday evening about the arrest. On Tuesday at around 9:40 p.m., deputies responded to the 100 Block of De Laney Avenue south of Watsonville after reports of a family disturbance.
Arriving deputies found a victim suffering from multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim was later identified as 55-year-old Francisco Diaz.
Authorities identified the suspect in the fatal stabbing as Francisco's brother, 38-year-old Watsonville resident Seledonio Diaz. The investigation into the homicide determined the suspect was at a hotel on the 8100 Block of Monterey Road in Gilroy.
After a standoff Thursday morning where Seledonio Diaz barricaded himself in a hotel room and spoke with negotiators for several hours, the suspect surrendered peacefully to authorities at around 1:00 p.m. and was taken into custody.
The Gilroy Police Department, the Gilroy-Morgan Hill Regional SWAT Team, Gilroy Police Department negotiators and Santa Clara Police Department assisted the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office during the standoff and negotiations.
Seledonio Diaz is being booked into the Santa Cruz County jail for murder.
Authorities said the motive in the homicide remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Detective Burnett 831-454-7702.
