Slaying Suspect Eludes Manhunt : Homicide: Police say Oxnard man wanted in death of soccer coach may have fled to Mexico.

An Oxnard man suspected of slaying a respected soccer coach has eluded a police manhunt for more than a week, and authorities say he may have sought refuge with relatives in Mexico.

“We’re only 175 miles from the border,” said Oxnard police spokesman David Keith. “Any time you have a suspect like this, you have to entertain that notion.”

Police are looking for Armando Rivas Balderama, 20, a known gang member who was arrested but not prosecuted two years ago for allegedly shooting at rival gang members. Although Balderama is an American citizen born in this country, he has extended family in Mexico, Keith said.

He is suspected of gunning down 35-year-old Roberto Calderon Leyva outside a south Oxnard pizza parlor on July 10. Witnesses told police that the confrontation took place after Balderama accused Leyva of staring at his sister.

A judge issued a warrant for Balderama’s arrest on July 13, but police have been unable to locate the suspect.

“Unfortunately, we just don’t know where he is,” Keith said.

Two detectives are working on the case full time, authorities said Tuesday. In addition, 160 patrol officers have a photograph of the suspect and have been informed of his hangouts, Keith said.

A half-dozen tips called in about Balderama’s whereabouts have lead to dead ends, Keith said.

“We’re waiting for someone to call and say they’ve seen him,” the police spokesman said. “We’re doing everything we can.”

Leyva’s widow and two children witnessed the shooting, and are trying to cope with their loss but remain fearful as long as the suspect is at large, said Esperanza Gonzalez, one of the victim’s seven sisters.

But she expressed confidence in the police.

“They’re going to catch him sooner or later,” Gonzalez said. “It may take a couple of days or longer, but they will catch him.”

Gonzalez paused, then said: “They need to catch him, because he’s going to do it again to another innocent family.”

Leyva’s survivors have begun psychological counseling to deal with their grief, Gonzalez said. The rest of Leyva’s family have vowed to do whatever they can to support the young widow, she said.

“We are suffering,” she said. “We still can’t believe it happened. But we are very close and we are trying to work together to help her.”

Roberto Leyva was eating pizza with his family about 6:30 p.m. when Balderama apparently became upset because Leyva looked at Veronica Balderama, the suspect’s 23-year-old sister, police said. The two men exchanged words and both parties were asked to leave the restaurant by a manager, police and witnesses said.

The altercation continued as Leyva and his family reached the parking lot. Balderama then pulled out a gun, shot Leyva in the stomach and fled the scene with his sister, police said. Leyva died 10 hours later at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard.

Veronica Balderama was arrested that night on suspicion of aiding a fugitive, and police found Armando’s pickup truck at his home.

An elderly man who answered the door at Balderama’s residence in south Oxnard Tuesday said he did not know the suspect’s whereabouts. The man, who would not give his name, said the family has relatives in Chihuahua, Mexico.

But he said he didn’t think Armando would go there.

“He was born here,” the man said. “Mexico is not his home.”