Press Release: Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies and Monterey County Cold Case Task Force Detectives Solve 1982 Murder
DATE/TIME: 2/27/2026 12:50 PM
TYPE OF INCIDENT: Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies and Monterey County Cold Case Task Force Detectives
Solve 1982 Murder
LOCATION: Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
MEDIA CONTACT: Eric Bixler, Chief Deputy Phone: (831) 755-3722 Email: bixlere@countyofmonterey.gov
On Saturday, 04/10/1982, at approximately 0130 hours, 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 02/27/2026, detectives filed a detainer on SAUL RAMIREZ for the gruesome murder of Cruz Gomez, who is being held at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility on another matter. Detectives will be presenting the case for murder charges with the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office today. 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.”