DNA Leads Police to Slaying Suspect

Using DNA that police said linked him to the crime, officers Tuesday arrested a 19-year-old Villa Park man on suspicion of stabbing to death his best friend’s parents nearly two weeks ago.

Garden Grove police arrested Gerald Thomas Johnson, 19, at a business in Costa Mesa at 9 a.m. They would not identify the business or say what he was doing there. He was booked into Orange County Jail without bail in connection with the slayings of Jose R. Najera and Elena Castro Najera. The arrest warrant included a “special circumstances” designation that could bring the death penalty if charged.

Jose A. Najera found his parents dead in their bedroom Dec. 28 at around 4:30 a.m. He told police he had just returned from a night out with friends.

Police Capt. Dave Abrecht said police suspected additional people were involved in the killings.

Police Tuesday searched the house Johnson shared with his parents and the homes of two friends in Huntington Beach.

Abrecht said they retrieved clothing, computer-related items and potential weapons from the three homes. They also searched several vehicles.

Abrecht declined to discuss a motive for the killings and has developed several possibilities of what happened.

Johnson’s father said police spent the day at his house looking for evidence. “I don’t think it’s true,” he said. “I think they’re fishing. It’s one of these thing you don’t believe what they’re saying is true.”

Jose A. Najera told police Johnson was his best friend, according to Abrecht. Police have been in daily contact with Najera, Abrecht said.

The night of the killings, the younger Najera, Johnson, Johnson’s older sister and the two friends were at the Johnson home, according to police. The Johnsons’ parents were in another part of the large, ranch-style house.

Johnson, a graduate of Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, was working at the school part time in the audiovisual department, Abrecht said.

Abrecht said Najera and his friends voluntarily gave them DNA samples a few days after the slayings.

Because evidence at the crime scene allegedly pointed to Johnson, investigators asked the crime lab to evaluate his sample as soon as possible, Abrecht said. Results of the other DNA samples have not been returned.