Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies and Monterey County Cold Case Task Force Detectives Solve 1982 Murder

On Saturday, April 10 of 1982 at approximately 1:30 am, a deceased male, later identified as Cruz Gomez, was found on

Williams Road in an unincorporated area of Monterey County, near Old Stage Road. Gomez was found by a security guard

who was checking the gates of local farm properties. Gomez was the owner of the “Dos Reyes” Night Club in Salinas.

The initial investigation indicated Gomez had been violently beaten and murdered somewhere else and had been placed on the

roadway where he was later found. Suspects were identified early, as witnesses led investigators to Saul Ramirez and another

suspect. Both had been at the Dos Reyes Night Club, shortly before Gomez left the bar.

After many interviews, search warrants, and evidence collection, a fresh tip from the public led investigators to a motorhome

at the Mission El Dorado (camp) in Huron, CA. Blood evidence and other items of interest were found inside the motorhome

by detectives; however, during the 1980s, no suspect could be charged at the time. The motorhome was established to belong

to Saul Ramirez and DNA profiles were developed from items of evidence collected during the investigation. As DNA

technology progressed, the Sheriff’s Office detectives working in conjunction with the Monterey County Cold Case Task Force

collected enough evidence to charge a suspect in this case.

On Friday, February 27, 2026 detectives filed a detainer on Saul Ramirez for the gruesome murder of Cruz Gomez. Ramirez is being held

at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility on another matter. Detectives will be presented the case for murder charges

with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office on February 27. Any member of the community with information about this

investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Richard Geng at (831) 759-7279 or Detective Sergeant Nicholas Kennedy at

(831) 755-3773.

Sheriff Nieto stated, “The Sheriff’s Office has a relentless commitment to solving all cold cases throughout Monterey County’s

history. The cold case detectives are driven by a desire to provide closure for families and to hold the perpetrators accountable.”

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