Hollister
– A Hollister woman was stabbed to death Tuesday afternoon, and
police arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of homicide at the
Prospect Villa apartment complex.
Hollister – A Hollister woman was stabbed to death Tuesday afternoon, and police arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of homicide at the Prospect Villa apartment complex.
Elizabeth Esther Gomez, 31, was found dead in her second-story apartment at 970 Prospect Avenue in Hollister. Local police and San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call from the complex at approximately 3:30pm Tuesday, Hollister Police Capt. Bob Brooks said.
Samuel Ethan Turner, 25, was arrested on suspicion of homicide in connection with the slaying, Brooks said. Turner was taken to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital with unknown injuries and was later taken to a San Jose area hospital for surgery, Brooks said. Turner’s injuries were not life-threatening, he said.
It is the first homicide in Hollister this year.
Medics wheeled a man out of the apartment complex on a gurney and loaded him into the back of an ambulance. The man was on his stomach, had a white sheet draped over him and had his hands behind his back.
Authorities continue to investigate the death. Brooks declined to comment on what evidence was collected at the scene of the crime. He did not know how many times the victim was stabbed. Brooks also said he did not know what the woman was stabbed with. Neighbors said the victim was dating the suspect, but police could not confirm the two had been in a relationship.
Some of the apartment’s residents expressed shock at the news of Gomez’s death.
Betty Jo Bochenek, an 85-year-old neighbor, said she knew Gomez and occasionally watched television with her.
Gomez had lived in the complex for about four years, Bochenek said.
Bochenek described Gomez as shy and nice, and Turner as very polite. Bochenek said she saw them together often.
“(Gomez) said, ‘If I can’t have him, I don’t want anybody,'” Bochenek said.
Prospect Villa resident Stella Hash said the couple had a “stormy relationship.” Hash said Gomez had wanted to marry Turner.
Hash said the apartment complex is usually quiet.
“You couldn’t ask for a better or safer place to live,” she said.
Anita Alvarez has been visiting the complex for nine years to help take care of her father-in-law. Alvarez said nothing like Tuesday afternoon had ever happened at the apartments.
“It was shocking to hear this,” Alvarez said.
Turner has never been arrested in San Benito County and police officials said they did not know Tuesday night if the man had any previous criminal history.
San Benito County District Attorney Candice Hooper talked with police at the scene of the crime Tuesday night, but declined to comment on the incident.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected]. City editor Brett Rowland contributed to this report.
