Police: Few Leads in Shotgun Slaying of Pajaro Man

A bouquet of red roses jammed into an old Coffee-Mate creamer can are a quiet reminder of the violence that struck on Rodriguez Street on Saturday night.

There, gang members armed with a shotgun gunned down Jose Ventura.

Three days after the killing, Tuesday, police said they had few leads, even though Ventura was shot around 11:40 p.m., while many residents of the modest neighborhood were home.

People called 911 to report the shooting, but since then, detectives say they've been dealing with "reluctant witnesses."

"The problem is, when you knock on people's doors ... no one wants to talk," Sgt. Saul Gonzalez said. "People don't want to be seen talking to the police."

Gonzalez said the neighborhood—a busy street that leads to , then downtown—isn't a high-crime area. There was a homicide on Rodriguez Street about eight years ago, but that was several blocks down near the .

Ventura hadn't been in trouble with Watsonville police, according to Gonzalez. Police haven't said why he may have been , who fled in a sedan after the shooting.

Ventura lay injured in front of a two-story home with a small lawn, surrounded by a low chain-link fence. Medics drove him to a San Jose-area trauma center, but he died from his injuries, police said.

The message on the roses left for Ventura says, "Vaya Con Dios." "Go With God."

Detectives ask anyone with information about Saturday night's shooting  to call the Investigations Bureau at 831-768-3350 or the Crime Tip Line at 831-768-3544.