A Ventura County Man Facing Murder Charge In El Rio Shooting

Tuesday July 02, 2024

(Photo courtesy VCSO)

     A Ventura County man has been charged with murder in the shooting death of another man early Sunday morning.

     It happened in the 1000 block of Collins Street in El Rio when an argument broke out shortly before 3 AM between three men who knew each other.

     It turned into a physical altercation during which one of the men, 29-year-old Alexis Bustillos of El Rio, allegedly pointed a gun at 23-year-old Anthony Leyva of El Rio and fired.

     Leyva was rushed to VCMC where he died.

     Bustillos was initially taken into custody on firearms charges including being a person who is not allowed to have a firearm.

     Following an investigation by the Ventura County Sheriff's Major Crimes Bureau, the Medical Examiner, and the DA's Office, Bustillos was arrested for murder while still in jail on the initial charges.

     Bustillos was in court Tuesday to face the charges but he did not enter a plea and his arraignment was continued until July 29th.

     He remains in jail on $1 million.

     The third man in the incident, a 23-year-old from Ventura, was not wounded or arrested in connection with the incident.

     The sheriff's office says the investigation is continuing.