Guard Subdues Suspect in Fatal Stabbing

A security guard armed only with a nightstick persuaded a knife-wielding man suspected in a fatal stabbing to surrender Saturday night, Oxnard police said.

Sgt. Denny Phillips said security guard Juaquin Casteneda held the suspect until police arrived after he saw Pedro Cervantes, 20, of Oxnard stabbed about 8:45 p.m. in the 200 block of West Hueneme Road.

Cervantes died of multiple stab wounds to the chest, authorities said. It was the third murder this year in Ventura County.

Phillips said police arrested Luis Espinosa Morales, 21, of Oxnard on suspicion of homicide. Morales was held at Ventura County Jail on $250,000 bail.

Casteneda, 36, was watching from the doorway of the Pancho Villa Restaurant and Bar, where he works, as the two men began to brawl in the parking lot, Detective Jeff Young said.

After seeing Cervantes stabbed, Casteneda, a one-time police officer in Cuba, approached the suspected killer, Young said. Using only his nightstick, Casteneda threatened the man until he dropped his knife and gave up without a struggle, Young said.

Casteneda held Morales until police arrived about five minutes later. Officers recovered the weapon, a filleting knife, at the scene.

“The security guard basically just confronted him. For some reason, he gave up,” Young said.

Casteneda told officers he used to work as a police officer in Cuba before moving to Oxnard, Young said. Damaso Leanos, owner of the Pancho Villa Restaurant, said Casteneda had been hired only six months ago to check customer IDs at a nightclub the restaurant operates.