Second Murder Trial of Alleged Stearns Wharf Shooter Goes to Jury Deliberations

It was meant to be a quintessential Santa Barbara evening. Robert Dion Gutierrez, a 52-year-old father from Camarillo, was walking Stearns Wharf with his family on December 9, 2022, celebrating the couple’s 20th wedding anniversary. Instead, the night dissolved into tragedy when gunfire erupted on the iconic wooden pier.

Now, nearly four years after a stray bullet fatally struck Gutierrez from behind, a Santa Barbara jury is once again weighing the fate of the alleged shooter. As the Santa Barbara Independent reported, closing arguments concluded on July 21, 2026, in the second murder trial of Jiram Jhunue Tenorio-Ramon.

Twelve jurors were sent into deliberations to decide whether Tenorio-Ramon is guilty of first-degree murder, marking the second time a local jury has been asked to render a verdict in this high-profile case.

A Tragedy on a Beloved Landmark

The events of that December night sent shockwaves through the 805 community. The bustling waterfront, usually filled with tourists, locals enjoying the sunset, and families dining at spots like Chad's, suddenly became a crime scene.

According to Harbor Patrol testimony, an officer rushed to the scene and attempted to save Gutierrez's life. Tragically, as the officer worked to render aid, Gutierrez's wife and two daughters knelt on the pier, weeping around his body while the shooter fled into the night. The heartbreaking scene underscored the devastating impact of gang violence spilling over into one of Santa Barbara's most treasured public spaces.

A Hung Jury and a Second Try

The legal journey to this point has been arduous. Tenorio-Ramon's first trial, which took place in 2025, ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked at 11 to one.

Fast forward to July 2026: Inside the historic Santa Barbara Courthouse—up the ornate spiral staircase and away from the bustling wedding photos and daily tours—Department 2 became the focal point for this second attempt at justice. Tenorio-Ramon, represented by Public Defender George Steele, faced District Attorney Tate McCallister, who meticulously laid out the prosecution's case.

During McCallister’s closing remarks, Tenorio-Ramon's family—his wife, daughter, mother, father, and other supporters—sat in the courtroom's cushioned leather seats. Some listened to a Spanish-language translator as the prosecutor urged the jury to convict unequivocally. According to the Independent, some family members shook their heads as McCallister detailed the reasons for a guilty verdict.

Gang Affiliations and "Putting in the Work"

Central to the prosecution's narrative is Tenorio-Ramon’s alleged association with the Westside Gang. In a statement during the previous trial, Tenorio-Ramon admitted he had been fighting on behalf of the gang as far back as March 2020, though he was not an official member.

To establish motive, McCallister presented a trove of digital evidence, including text messages, Snapchat conversations, and Instagram posts. The jury saw photos of Tenorio-Ramon on the Cacique footbridge—a location identified as being in the heart of rival Eastside gang territory—holding a firearm. Another image showed him posing with confirmed Westside gang members at Leadbetter Beach.

Perhaps most crucial to the prosecution's argument were messages in which Tenorio-Ramon appeared to be arranging the purchase of a "ghost Glock" with transparent magazines, matching the description of the murder weapon. In other texts, he reportedly told Westside gang members he wanted to head to the Goleta Projects Gang turf to "do some work." McCallister argued this evidence proved Tenorio-Ramon was actively seeking an opportunity to prove himself and earn his official gang membership.

A Chaotic Night on the Pier

Both the prosecution and defense agreed on the basic timeline of the evening. Tenorio-Ramon and three friends—Ricardo Tomas Jauregui-Moreno, Christopher Dave Miranda, and James Lee Rosborough—had been at Painted Cave drinking and smoking marijuana before deciding to head down to Stearns Wharf to continue. Steele characterized the group to the jury as simply "kids being kids. Kids having fun."

However, the atmosphere shifted when the group drove onto the pier. Finding the foot traffic too heavy to continue drinking, they turned their car around. On their way off the pier, they crossed paths with a group of nine teenagers from Ventura. One of Tenorio-Ramon's friends testified that the teens were "dressed like gangsters."

From inside the car, Rosborough flashed the Westside gang sign, and the mood instantly shifted. Tenorio-Ramon allegedly told the driver to pull over, stating, "Fuck it. Let’s get 'em."

Miranda and Tenorio-Ramon exited the vehicle. What happened next was captured by the wharf kiosk's video camera and synced with audio from a nearby restaurant. As the footage rolls, a shootout between the two groups erupts. While Miranda bolts across the frame at the sound of the first gunshot, Tenorio-Ramon is seen drawing his weapon and moving in a collected manner.

Prosecutors highlighted the trajectory of the gunfire. They pointed to video evidence and the location of the shell casings to argue that Tenorio-Ramon used the Glock's fluorescent sights to aim at a target 210 feet away. Tragically, that target was Gutierrez, an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of a senseless confrontation.

As the jury deliberates, the community awaits a verdict, hoping to close a dark chapter that forever scarred one of Santa Barbara's most iconic landmarks.