Multiple Arrests Made in Fatal Shooting at Santa Barbara’s Bohnett Park
Justice for Luis: Arrests Made Four Months After Westside Tragedy
A months-long investigation into the February shooting death of 29-year-old Luis Gerardo Terrazas at Santa Barbara's Bohnett Park concluded Thursday with the arrests of three teenagers, the Santa Barbara Police Department announced.
In a coordinated multi-agency operation spanning three cities, detectives served search and arrest warrants in Ventura, Camarillo, and Santa Barbara. 18-year-old Jimmy Alexander Mora Jr. of Ventura and 19-year-old Jorge Hurtado of Camarillo were both charged with first-degree murder, along with attempted murder, conspiracy, and weapons-related charges. A third suspect, an unnamed juvenile, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon for the benefit of a criminal street gang.
A Life Cut Short at the Heart of the Westside
Terrazas was shot at approximately 1:30 a.m. on February 20 at Bohnett Park, a cherished community gathering place on San Pascual Street. The 3.54-acre park, established in 1936 and named after former Santa Barbara mayor Floyd Bohnett, serves as the Westside's primary recreational space with playgrounds, basketball courts, and picnic areas nestled along Mission Creek.
Responding officers found Terrazas with a single gunshot wound and attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead after arriving at Cottage Hospital. Another person was at the scene but uninjured.
Family members remembered Terrazas as "funny, caring, hardworking, and fiercely protective of the people he loved," describing him as someone who "had a big heart and a presence that made people feel safe, supported, and valued." He left behind a young son, his mother, and siblings.
A Complicated Past
Terrazas's death came six months after he was implicated in a violent confrontation that shook downtown Santa Barbara. He was initially charged with attempted murder in connection with a knife brawl that broke out on State Street during Fiesta weekend in August 2025, an incident that left 30-year-old Anthony Bisquera-Hartley dead and two others seriously injured.
However, when video evidence emerged showing that Bisquera-Hartley was the aggressor, the attempted murder charge against Terrazas was dropped and reduced to assault with a deadly weapon. At the time of his death, he was facing this lesser charge and had pleaded not guilty.
Community Response and Ongoing Investigation
In the days following Terrazas's death, a memorial of flowers, candles, and balloons was placed on San Pascual Street near Bohnett Park. Family and friends organized fundraising efforts, including a car wash to help with funeral expenses and support for his young son.
The investigation involved extensive collaboration between Santa Barbara Police, Ventura County agencies, and the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office. "The operation highlights the strong partnerships and collaborative efforts among local law enforcement agencies," police said in their announcement.
Part of a Broader Pattern
Thursday's arrests followed developments in two other high-profile gang homicides that have troubled Santa Barbara. Last week, Carpinteria gang members convicted in the 2021 shooting deaths of Angel Castillo, 17, and Omar Montiel-Hernandez, 18, were sentenced to lifetime prison terms. Additionally, Sheriff's detectives recently arrested a fifth and final suspect in the fatal 2025 stabbing of 17-year-old Damien Hernandez near San Marcos High School.
The investigation into Terrazas's death remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Santa Barbara Police Department at (805) 897-2372.
For the Westside community, where Bohnett Park serves as a central gathering place in a neighborhood that is 65.7% Mexican-American, the arrests bring a measure of closure to a tragedy that shattered the sense of safety at their most cherished community space.
Reported by 805.life
Researched and written drawing on primary sources. Additional reporting: Santa Barbara Independent.
City
Santa BarbaraAdditional Reporting
Santa Barbara IndependentPublished
June 6, 2026
Reported and written by 805.life
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