Suspect Released in Fatal Beating

A 17-year-old Oxnard resident arrested on suspicion of beating to death another Oxnard youth was released from jail Thursday because of conflicting stories by witnesses to the homicide.

The youth had been arrested in connection with the beating death of Luis Gerardo Rodriguez, also 17, last Friday in the 300 block of Nevada Avenue. But investigators decided to release the youth because of conflicting accounts from witnesses, said Senior Officer Tom Chronister of the Oxnard Police Department.

“Basically, some of the witnesses’ statements were called into question,” Chronister said.

Gerardo died after being struck several times in the head with a Club-type anti-auto-theft device. Police said that as many as seven youths were involved in the beating.

Chronister said investigators expect more arrests, but he would not say whether the suspect released Thursday would be rearrested.