Police are looking for 25-year-old Juan Ramirez, the man accused of stabbing and killing 29-year-old Sandra Cruzes-Gonsalez.
People silently arrived at the victim's home with candles, crosses, and condolences on Saturday. They are mourning the loss of their friend and family member.
The young mother was stabbed to death Friday afternoon just a few feet away from her home on North First Street, just east of the County Government Center at 70 W. Hedding St.
"The suspect and the victim had a dating relationship that ended about two years ago. Apparently he's been trying to stalk our victim for the last couple of years, multiple encounters with the police reporting this type of activity," SJPD Sgt. Jason Dwyer said.
Cruzes-Gonsalez lived with her 10-year-old son. She was outside her home in the parking lot of her apartment complex, when Ramirez allegedly stabbed her in the neck and arms.
"I held her head up, kept pressure on it and I said who did this? Can you give me a name? And she couldn't really talk," witness Matt London said.
After the stabbing, Ramirez ran away. Police and a SWAT team searched the area for hours, ordering residents to stay inside their homes while officers conducted yard-to-yard, door-to-door searches, but the suspect got away.
Neighbor Lowell Fulson stayed in his apartment for three hours. He knew Cruzes-Gonsalez, but he didn't' know about her ex -boyfriend.
"She was nice, friendly, people, and for me I never had any trouble with anybody," Fulson said.
Police believe he's driving a dark green 1996 Toyota T100 pickup truck to Mexico. Detectives admit what happened Friday is not only sad, but frustrating.
"She was doing all the right things, she was contacting the police department. She was reporting the crimes, pulling out restraining orders trying to protect herself from this individual. It's very unfortunate this happened," Dwyer said.
This was San Jose's 10th homicide of the year.
