Judge Rules Sufficient Evidence For Saticoy Murder Defendant To Stand Trial

Wednesday July 31, 2024

     Updated--Following a three day preliminary hearing, a Ventura County judge has ruled there is sufficient evidence for an alleged gang member to stand trial for murder in a fatal shooting in Saticoy more than two years ago.

     Now 20-year-old Julius Luna of Ventura is facing first degree murder in connection with the May 29, 2022 shooting death of 26-year-old Gabriel Cueva of Piru.

     In addition to murder, prosecutors also filed two special circumstance allegations that the killing was gang related and that Luna was lying in wait for his victim.

     Luna has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied all Special Allegations.

     Cueva was found lying face down in the street at the intersection of Azahar Street and Alelia Avenue in Saticoy.

     Ventura County Sheriff's officials told KVTA News that Cueva had been shot multiple times and was taken to VCMC where he was pronounced dead.

     They say that detectives served search warrants and obtained additional evidence linking Luna to the homicide and he was arrested two days later in Fresno County.

     If convicted, Luna could life in prison.

     He's being held in the Ventura County Jail without bail and is due back in court on August 14th as the first step towards having a trial date set.