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Murder Charges Dropped in Fatal Fiesta Stabbing Case
Santa Barbara DA Says Two Suspects in State Street Stabbing Acted in Self-Defense; Victim’s Family Is ‘Outraged’

By Callie Fausey
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday announced amended charges in the fatal stabbing on State Street during Fiesta weekend, including the complete dismissal of all charges against suspect Juan Fernando Rios in connection with the stabbing.

The stabbing occurred after a fight broke out on the 500 block of State Street on August 1 and produced three victims, including one who lost his life, Anthony Bisquera-Hartley, a 30-year-old father of three. Three men were arrested and charged in connection with the incident soon after.

According to District Attorney John Savrnoch, new video evidence allegedly shows that Bisquera-Hartley was armed with a knife. Savrnoch’s updated determination is that the two men originally charged with Bisquera-Hartley’s murder were acting in self-defense.

Savrnoch announced he has therefore dropped the murder charges initially filed against two of the three stabbing suspects, Juan Fernando Rios, 28, and Sergio Rivas, 30. Criminal processes are dynamic, and charges can change to reflect new evidence, leading to such amendments.

Initially, the now-defunct murder charges were filed based on the early state of the investigation, which “showed that Bisquera-Hartley was unarmed when he attacked Mr. Rivas and suffered a fatal stab wound at the hands of Mr. Rivas and a non-fatal stab wound at the hands of Mr. Rios,” the DA’s Office said.

The earlier charges led the community to probe into the suspects’ prior convictions — especially considering that Rios was out on bail for a separate offense at the time of the stabbing — as well as raise questions around security on the 500-600 blocks of State Street, where multiple stabbings have occurred over the years.

The two men’s amended charges discard all murder allegations in light of the DA’s new claim that Bisquera-Hartley attacked Rivas while armed with a knife, and “Rivas acted in lawful self-defense when he stabbed Mr. Bisquera-Hartley.” Savrnoch also determined that Rios “acted in lawful defense of Mr. Rivas when he stabbed Mr. Bisquera-Hartley.” Rios now faces zero charges in connection to the stabbing.

Anthony Bisquera-Hartley’s family is still grieving the loss of their loved one. Bisquera-Hartley’s mother, Karen Biquera, said their family is incredibly upset by the news, especially considering the DA’s narrative involving her son’s alleged participation in the fight.

“My son can’t defend himself because he is gone,” she said. “I have zero confidence in the DA’s Office, and we’re outraged. We have no fatih in them. The whole town should be outraged by what’s going on, what they’re doing.” She said the family has no further comment at this time.

All three suspects arrested in connection with the stabbing still face other charges. Sergio Rivas is charged with assault with a deadly weapon against stabbing victim, J. Ramos, as well as numerous firearm-related charges in connection with his arrest.

The DA is also continuing to pursue convictions against Juan Fernando Rios for several firearm-related charges connected to his DUI arrest on July 26, 2025 (for which he was out on bail at the time of the stabbing), including being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and carrying a loaded firearm in public. Again, all other charges against Rios in connection to the recent stabbing have been dropped.

The third suspect, Luis Gerardo Terrazas, 29, was originally charged with the attempted murder of co-defendent Sergio Rivas. However, “based on new information learned by the District Attorney’s office,” Terrazas will instead be charged with assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, with special allegation of personally using a deadly weapon in the commission of the offense.

Additionally, all three defendants were cleared of any gang-related charges filed in connection with the stabbing, based on the new evidence, according to the DA.

After an August 25 hearing, Judge Foley granted Terrazas’s motion to reduce his bail from $1 million to $150,000. Terrazas posted bail with several conditions on his release, including GPS monitoring. Rivas and Rios remain in custody, but the DA’s Office confirmed they will also receive lowered bail amounts.

All three defendants will be arraigned in Department 12 of the Santa Barbara Superior Court on Monday, September 8, at 8:30 a.m.

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Independent

FAFO, Ice style
From the U.K. Daily Mail,

Brazen driver is arrested by FBI for stealing ICE agents’ vehicle during immigration raid.

The “driver” in question is one Bobby Nunez, who used his tow truck to remove a marked ICE vehicle during an arrest of an illegal immigrant last month.

Nunez was laughing and having a great time during his theft of government property. He was much less happy during his perp walk. Bill Melugin of Fox News commented on Twitter (X) today,

According to the criminal complaint, which was signed off on by a federal judge, Nunez was laughing and recording the ICE agents on his phone while he towed their vehicle away in LA , which had the keys and a weapon in a gun safe inside. HSI used TikTok to track him down.

The Daily Mail reported on the incident,

Bobby Nunez, 33, was at an upscale apartment complex in South Los Angeles on August 15 when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents sought to take illegal immigrant Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez into custody on August 15.

The officers flashed the emergency lights on two black SUVs as they blocked Mafla-Martinez’s Tesla from exiting the apartment complex’s parking structure, NBC Los Angeles reports.

Apparently, Ms. Mafla is a “TikTok influecer” which apparently is both a profession and an occasionally lucrative one. Of more concern for ICE is her recent DUI conviction.

As for Mr. Nunez,

He is now charged with theft of government property and could face a maximum of 10 years behind bars if he were to be convicted of the crime.

Grand theft auto.

Melugin also reports that Trump will be doubling down on immigration enforcement in southern California,

Border Patrol announces reinforcements are coming to Los Angeles in the form of several hundred Border Patrol agents from around the country, and operations will imminently be expanded to other cities as a result.

Feds continuing to make sanctuary LA a priority.

¡Suerte!

PowerLine

Cal State professor indicted for allegedly hurling tear gas canister at federal agents

Story by Stephen Sorace
A California professor was indicted for allegedly throwing a tear gas canister at federal agents during a massive raid on a cannabis farm in July that resulted in the arrest of more than 350 illegal immigrants.

Jonathan Caravello, a 37-year-old math professor at California State University Channel Islands, was charged with one count of assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California said in a news release on Wednesday.

On July 10, federal agents conducted a raid at Glass House Farms, a 160-acre marijuana farm, in Camarillo, a city in Ventura County, California. The agents encountered protesters who gathered at the entrance and used their bodies and vehicles to stop authorities from leaving the property, prosecutors said, citing court documents.

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As the raid was taking place, violent clashes erupted between ICE agents and around 500 protesters, some of whom waved Mexican flags.

Protesters hurled rocks at government vehicles, breaking windows and side-view mirrors, according to prosecutors. To ensure the safety of the federal agents, officials said authorities deployed tear gas on the crowd.

When Border Patrol agents rolled tear gas canisters toward the feet of the protesters, prosecutors alleged Caravello ran up to one of the canisters and tried to kick it. But Caravello allegedly missed and chased after the canister as it rolled past him.

Caravello then picked up the canister and threw it overhand back at Border Patrol agents, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Border Patrol agents eventually arrested Caravello, who prosecutors said “continuously kicked his legs and refused to give agents his arms during the arrest.”

MSN

More FAFO.

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Category: Feel Good Stories