Police: Few Leads In Brandon Gil Slaying

A makeshift memorial for has sprouted from the concrete sidewalk downtown where he was found mortally injured.

Flowers, photos, notes, candles, a balloon and alcohol bottles have been arranged like an altar to Gil, a fourth-generation Watsonville resident, in front of the Union Bank on Brennan Street and East Lake Avenue.

Gil's friend underwent surgery late Saturday and is expected to recover, police have said. He has not cooperated with the investigation and police said Tuesday they have yet to identify a suspect in the attack.

"The investigators are still working on it but there’s no new information to put out," Watsonville police Lt. David McCartney said Tuesday.

Gil and his friend were at the Miramar Sports Bar, on the 500 block of Main Street, on Saturday night. McCartney said they also have a friend who lives in the area.

Police have not said how the violence sparked and are unsure of how many people were involved. McCartney said it would be possible for one assailant to stab both men.

"It is rare but it does happen," he said.

McCartney declined to say if police had found the weapon or weapons used in the attack.

An autopsy revealed that Gil had been stabbed to death. There was speculation that he may have been shot because of how the wound looked, but that was incorrect, according to McCartney.

Detectives consider the violence gang-related, largely because of the lack of other motives such as robbery or a fight over a woman.

“We’re still looking at that (gang relations) as the primary motive but we’re looking at all the different possible motives," McCartney said. "Right now it appears being gang motivated is most likely.”

McCartney said both Gil and his friend were considered gang associates by the Watsonville Police Department.

“We’re familiar with him. He does have gang associations," McCartney said, explaining that "gang association" means the men had been seen with known gang members by police officers but were not in the gang themselves.

In comments on Watsonville Patch, Gil is remembered as a loving son and readers express outrage that gang violence in Watsonville has claimed another young person.

"I would just like to express our heartfelt sympathy for his mother, who I know Brandon loved very much cuz he always yelled "love you" whenever he was going out the door," reader Theresa Toledo shard.

His father, Richard Gil Jr., told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that his son loved to restore classic cars and was a talented mechanic.

Daniel Juarez, who had attended Starlight Elementary with Gil years ago, said he was shocked by the news.

"Even though I lost touch with him over the years, its still sad to know that he ain't around anymore," Juarez wrote.

See all the coverage of the violence that killed Brandon Gil here.

Detectives ask that with further information regarding this case contact the WPD Investigation Division at (831) 768-3350 or the Crime Tip Line at (831) 768-3544.

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