2 young women arrested after San Jose stabbing death
2 women arrested for stabbing death of San Jose man
San Jose police detectives arrested two women on Tuesday and charged them in connection with a downtown stabbing in July that left a man dead.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Two young women have been arrested in connection with the stabbing death of a 22-year-old man last month, San Jose police announced on Wednesday.
Micaela Van, 18, and Mercedes Rosales, 20, both of San Jose, were taken into custody for the July 20 homicide of Raymond Orozco, 22, who family members told KTVU had stepped in to protect a female friend.
San Jose police said Rosales was booked for murder and Micaela was booked as an accessory to murder, but it wasn't immediately clear if the district attorney had charged the young women yet.
Efforts to speak with the women or contact their attorneys were not immediately successful on Wednesday morning.
Their relationship to Orozco was not revealed, and neither was a motive.
San Jose police said police were called out to the 90 block of South Second Street just before 1 a.m. after someone was reported being stabbed.
Family says man fatally stabbed in San Jose was trying to protect friend
The family of a 22-year-old East Bay man says he was fatally stabbed in downtown San Jose early Sunday while trying to protect a friend who was being attacked.
They found a man who was suffering from at least one stab wound, who they took to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Although they did not describe how, detectives identified Rosales and Van as the primary suspects. Detectives searched their homes and arrested them on Tuesday in San Jose.
In a previous interview with Orozco's mother, Daniella Ruiz said her son was a "peacemaker, he wasn't a hothead."
Orozco had gone out that night with his cousin and two female friends, his family said. One of the women in their group was allegedly being beaten up, when Orozco stepped in to help.
"My understanding is the person who was being beat up is one of the people that came with him," said Roy Orozco, the victim’s father. "And with Raymond, if he considers anybody a friend, he’s gonna protect them. That’s what he was doing."
A longtime friend, Elijah Castro, said Orozco was always looking out for others.
"He always told me, you leave the party with who you came to the party with. He always just wanted everybody together and everybody safe," he said.
Castro said he saw Orozco earlier that day at a barbecue - not knowing it would be the last.
Orozco worked as a manager at two group homes for seniors with developmental and physical disabilities in Castro Valley. His family said he had recently been accepted into Chabot College's Fire Academy and was preparing to begin training this fall.
Christopher McAlpin, a friend of Orozco’s, organized a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses.