Hollister Police held a press conference Tuesday to encourage the public to provide more tips in the Aug. 1 shooting death of 19-year-old Ariana Zendejas at West and B streets and to dispel rumors that the suspect, Jose Barajas, 20, had been taken into custody.
“Each and every tip that has been called in has been checked or is being checked,” Chief David Westrick told an assemblage of area media at the Hollister police station, noting that police are utilizing local, state and federal law enforcement resources to help with the investigation. He also used the conference to send a message to Barajas, who is alleged to have shot and killed Zendejas and may have 20-year-old Vanessa Flores with him. Westrick said that anyone who may be helping Barajas avoid arrest can and will be charged with a crime.
“In my mind, helping the suspect is condoning what he allegedly had done on Aug. 1, 2014,” Westrick said. “I would ask that you look inside of yourself and ask a simple question: Do you want to be mentioned as a suspect with Jose Barajas or mentioned as a person who helped to bring him to justice and helped bring Vanessa home to her family?”
Saying that his staff “will never give up looking for” Barajas, Westrick said his advice to the alleged shooter is “to give yourself up immediately and let Vanessa return home to her family because we will never stop looking, ever.”
Asked about rumors that he had been hearing regarding the case, the chief said information circulating in the community and on social media that Barajas had been taken into custody was false.
Detective Sgt. Dan Winn said tips about the case continue to come in, though not with the frequency they did shortly after the murder occurred at the beginning of the month. “There are at least a few a day,” he said. “We still look at them, weigh their value.”
Asked about Flores and whether police believe she was kidnapped by Barajas, Winn said Flores’ family “is tore up. They want her back.”
Hollister Police Captain Carlos Reynoso said that none of Flores’ family members have heard from her since the night of the murder. “(Police) haven’t received any contact from her,” Reynoso said. “We’re still hoping that happens. We have no information right now that would change any status of her being missing and being held against her will at this point. If she wants to make a call or communicate with her family or the police department to clear anything up, we would encourage that.”
Sending a message to Barajas, Reynoso said, “if he wants this to be over, the best thing to do is for him to turn himself in and have his day in court.”
Westrick said he hoped these messages “will be broadcast as far and wide as possible. We’re trying to put each piece together to locate this suspect and bring Vanessa home to her family.”
Other information from the press conference:
– Hollister Police are still waiting on a response from the governor’s office regarding adding more money to the $25,000 reward the city council approved for the arrest and conviction of Barajas and the return of Flores.
– Asked if there was any indication that Flores had been hurt of killed, Westrick said there has been “no indication either way. We have a person who allegedly killed Ariana Zendejas with a firearm. We don’t have that firearm. The last person Mr. Barajas was with was Vanessa Flores” and police have no indication to confirm any other conclusion that she is being held against her will.
– Police said they have interviewed “a number of people in this investigation several times,” but would not give specific numbers.
– Asked if they believe Barajas is still in the area, Westrick said, “We haven’t found him yet. We’ve widenened the scope (and) we’ve got federal authorities involved,” including the FBI, Homeland Security and the border patrol.