Jury Finds Santa Barbara Man Not Guilty of Murder, Guilty of Manslaughter in 2018 New Year’s Day Shooting

Brian Charles Ruiz Will Face Sentencing for Manslaughter and Assault Charges on September 15

An orange barricade shields the body of a shooting victim, killed on January 1, 2018 at De la Vina and Victoria streets. | Credit: Kelsey Brugger (file)

A Santa Barbara County jury found Santa Barbara resident Brian Charles Ruiz, 36, not guilty of first- and second-degree murder in connection with a shooting of two men and killing of one at a New Year’s Eve party in 2018. Ruiz, who appeared in court for the verdict on July 24, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, attempted voluntary manslaughter, and assault by means of force to produce great bodily injury.

Brian Ruiz was first arrested in 2018 for the January 1 shooting, which occurred near the 200 block of Victoria Street and De la Vina Street. | Credit: Courtesy

Ruiz was first arrested in 2018 for the January 1 shooting, which occurred around 3:30 a.m. near the 200 block of Victoria Street and De la Vina Street in Santa Barbara. According to the court testimony, Goleta resident Tomas Arzate, 23, was shot by Ruiz in the shoulder and head, suffering non-life-threatening injuries, and was taken to Cottage Hospital, where he was later released.

Jesus Reyes, who was 24 at the date of the shooting, reportedly fled the party before he was chased down and shot in the head by Ruiz. Reyes was found dead on the 1300 block of De la Vina Street, only a couple hundred feet from the party on Victoria Street.