The suspect in the Twin Peaks Valentine's Day double murder is a Richmond man with a violent past, and police say the alleged car jacking he engaged in after the shooting was not the first time he'd stolen a vehicle.
Richmond Police have identified 26-year-old Richard Contreras of Richmond as the prime suspect, reports ABC 7, and police located the GMC Yukon Denali stolen at the scene of the shooting parked near Contreras's home. The tourists originally driving the Denali reportedly identified Contreras to the police as the person who ordered them out of the car at gun point.
A third man was also shot, and the unidentified 18-year-old is currently "fighting for his life," reports the Press Democrat.
This is not Contreras first run in with the law, as KRON 4 reports that he was the main suspect in a 2014 crash of stolen car into an AC Transit bus. The bus slammed into the front of a house as a result, injuring 11 people — including a family in the home. At the time of the crash, Contreras was on felony probation for having stolen cars. He fled that scene, reports the channel, and later pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
A murder charge against Contreras was dropped in 2015, notes ABC 7. He is currently being held without bond.
The two victims, 21-year-old Julio Peraza and 19-year-old Rene Mora, were both from Santa Rosa. At this time, police have not said whether the men were targeted or if the attack was random.
Previously: Two Shot And Killed At Twin Peaks Lookout; Scott Wiener Blames SFPD Under-Staffing