The Hollister Police Department has arrested a man who was allegedly involved in last week’s suspicious death of a 32-year old man who was found behind the steering wheel of a car.
The police announced in a press release on Jan. 3 that Manuel Campa, 22, of Hollister was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder along with a parole violation hold. He’s being held on $1 million bail for the homicide but he cannot bail out due to the parole hold, said police.
Campa was involved in the stabbing death of Hollister resident Christopher Jacobs who was found on Dec. 30 inside behind the steering wheel of his white 2014 Mercedes Benz sedan with a severe chest injury, police said. Jacobs had been involved in a traffic accident, but investigators determined his chest injury was not consistent with a vehicle crash.
The police said that the camera network in downtown Hollister was “instrumental in this investigation” to help identify Campa, who was seen on video in an altercation with Jacobs minutes before the accident occurred.
On Jan. 1, the police said they conducted surveillance on Campa’s last known address and followed a car that left the home, which led officers to him in the area of Airline Highway and Plaza Drive.
On Dec. 30, Officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Seventh Street at around 9:40pm for a report of a car crash and that the driver was possibly trying to get away, said police. They noted that the car collided with a fence and it had moderate damage.
Police officers found the white sedan in Browns Alley between Seventh and Sixth Street with Jacobs sitting in the driver’s seat. They discovered he was bleeding from a severe chest injury and he had difficulty breathing, said police.
According to the police, they determined that Jacobs’ chest injury appeared to be a stab wound and investigators did not believe it occurred as a result of the vehicle collision.
“The Police Department would like to express our sincerest condolences to Christopher Jacob’s family and friends,” said the police in a press release.
Police are asking if anyone noticed this vehicle in the area Wednesday night or if they have any information in regards to this death to please contact the police.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation can contact the Hollister Police Department at 831-638-4331. Anonymous callers can call the WeTip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME.
