Spokesman Paul Levikow said Wednesday that 19-year-old Esteban Nunez and three others have each been charged with one count of murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and a misdemeanor count of vandalism.
They four men were arrested on Tuesday in Sacramento County for the October stabbing death of a college student in San Diego.
"I hope that it's not because people have clout, that they're going to walk away. If these people did the crime they need to be punished and do their time," says Kathy Santos.
Kathy and Fred Santos of Concord are the murder victim's parents. They were told their son Luis was stabbed in the heart during a fight. Police say Luis, a Mesa College student, was walking with friends on the San Diego State campus when they stumbled upon Nunez and three of his friends.
"It is a random night. If these four men did not visit San Diego that weekend, my son would still be here for Christmas," says Fred.
"He's not going to come back. So I mean, the basic thing is the people are off the streets so maybe they won't do it again, but it doesn't really help us," says Kathy.
Nunez and the three other suspects could be transported back to San Diego as early as Wednesday. Police say they're treating this case as any other.
"There is no special treatment for any individual. He's wanted for, based on what San Diego has indicated, a homicide and will be treated as such," says Sgt. R.L. Davis, from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
Police declined to say why the men started fighting. Levikow says the charges were filed Monday. The men were arrested Tuesday in the Sacramento area. If convicted of murder, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Wednesday authorities acknowledged they searched Nunez's home a week after the murder.
The four suspects are expected to make their first court appearances in San Diego Thursday.
The AP has contributed to this report
