An orange barricade shields the body of a shooting victim, killed on New Year's Day at De la Vina and Victoria streets.
Kelsey Brugger

The Santa Barbara Police Department announced two suspects were arrested in connection with the New Year’s Day murder of Jesus Reyes on De la Vina Street. Thirty-year-old Brian Ruiz was taken into custody in San Diego on Sunday at the Mexican border, while 25-year-old Adrian Campos was arrested at his Goleta residence.

Brian Ruiz was arrested on January 14 for the murder of Jesus Reyes.

The deadly incident unfolded on January 1 at 3:30 a.m. at a downtown New Year’s Eve party, when a violent brawl erupted on Victoria Street and spilled onto De la Vina Street. Five to six shots were fired.

Adrian Campos has been arrested for accessory to murder stemming from the New Years Day killing on De La Vina Street.

Reyes was shot in the head, witnesses told the Santa Barbara Independent, and he died in the street. Goleta resident Tomas Arzate, 19, was also shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. He was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and was later released.

Two weeks ago, police surrounded the Victoria Street bungalow where the party had taken place, believing a suspect or suspects had returned to the scene of the crime. The standoff lasted six hours. When officers finally entered the unit, no one was inside.

According to previous news reports, Ruiz was arrested in 2014 for allegedly bringing a small firearm and ammunition in a backpack into the Superior Court during the gang injunction trial.

Police have identified Joel Campos, 25, as a suspect in the New Years Day murder.

Santa Barbara police also announced they are still looking for Joel Campos, a 25-year-old who is wanted for both the murder of Reyes and the attempted murder of Arzate. He was described as a Hispanic man who is 5’ 8’’ with shaved brown hair and brown eyes. He has “Santa” tattooed on his left arm, and “Barbara” tattooed on his right arm, police said. Campos has ties to Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Visalia. More arrests are likely in coming days, police said.

Login

Please note this login is to submit events or press releases. Use this page here to login for your Independent subscription

Not a member? Sign up here.