Man Found Shot to Death in Front of Oxnard Home

OXNARD — Police are searching for a suspect in a shooting Friday that left a 46-year-old Oxnard man dead in a driveway, authorities said.

Manuel Ortiz Amaro died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to Oxnard police.

The tranquillity of what one resident described as “the quietest street in La Colonia” was disrupted about 3:45 p.m. when Amaro was shot in the 1500 block of Morris Street.

Authorities are not sure where the shooting took place, but Amaro’s body, which suffered at least one shot to the head, was found at the front of a house on Morris Street, police spokesman David Keith said.

“He could have been shot in the house; he could have been shot somewhere else and walked there,” Keith said.

“We have no suspects,” Keith said.

Three people who live at the house were taken to the Oxnard police station for questioning. They were identified by others who live at the house as Costantino Contreras, Tamara Irvin and Gabriel Contreras. Costantino Contreras’ 7-year-old grandson was also taken from the scene with his grandfather.

Alena Contreras said the house she lives in is occupied by about 10 people, the majority of whom had spent the day at the beach and came home to find their street blocked off at either end by a dozen or so law enforcement vehicles.

“We were just coming back from the beach and all of this was happening,” said Alena Contreras, who said she is married to Gabriel Contreras. Neighbors gathered in frontyards and on sidewalks to get a glimpse of the body, which was lying outside the house near the front door and covered by a yellow sheet.

Morris Street is below the Oxnard Airport flight line, and as officers went house to house questioning residents--many of whom do not speak English--the only other sound heard was the rumble of general aviation aircraft making their way back to the airport. A low fog cover kept the planes out of sight.

“I think this is the quietest street in La Colonia,” Alena Contreras said, her 4-month-old child in her arms. “There’s no shootings and no fights.”

Not everyone who lives on Morris Street shares Alena Contreras’ opinion of its tranquillity. A 24-year resident said the house where Amaro’s body was found is known for frequent comings and goings of people on foot and in vehicles.

“There’s lots of people in and out of there all the time,” said Felicia Acosta, who lives down the street. “Mexicans, Americans, all kinds of people come and go, night and day,” she said.