Oceanside Police Arrest 4 in Libby Lake Park Shooting

Oceanside police have arrested four people in connection with the March 13 shooting in Libby Lake Park that left two teenagers dead and two others injured, officials announced Saturday.

Three of the suspects arrested are adults and one is a juvenile. Santo Diaz, 19, was arrested about 10:45 p.m. Friday on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, according to San Diego County Sheriff’s Department records. Michael Zurita, 19, was arrested roughly 11:30 p.m. Friday on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Martin Melendrez, 21, was arrested shortly after midnight on Saturday on suspicion of one count of first-degree murder. Diaz and Zurita also face charges of participating in a criminal street gang, according to the department's records.

The other suspect has not been named. Police also recovered a dark gray 2011 Toyota Tacoma with an extended cab, which is registered to one of the suspects. 

Officials said they do not believe there are any other suspects in the case, and the families of the victims have been notified.

Melanie Virgen, 13, and Edgar Sanchez, 15, died in the shooting shortly before 9 p.m. March 13 in Libby Lake Park. Two boys under 18 were also wounded, police said. One victim has since been released from the hospital and the second remains in stable condition.   

Police said on the night of the shooting, witnesses described the suspects as Hispanic males wearing dark clothing. They were seen fleeing the area in a gray or silver Toyota Tacoma or Toyota Tundra with an extended cab. 

About 5 a.m. Friday, members of the Oceanside Police Department's Investigations Division served search warrants at five locations in Oceanside and Vista, with assistance from federal agents and members of various local law enforcement agencies. Police said the warrants were served based on multiple corroborating leads that indicated the motive for the deadly shooting was gang-related.

Because the investigation is still ongoing, police said no specific information will be released about suspected gang involvement, specific locations of the search warrants or other information deemed critical to the case.  

Anyone with further information about the shooting is asked to call Oceanside police Detective Mark LaVake at 760-435-4872.