Man charged for fatal stabbing in Costa Mesa

A man was charged with murder after a fatal stabbing in Costa Mesa earlier this week. 

Israel Antonio Valencia, 25, was charged with murder and a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon after he allegedly killed a 22-year-old man on Tuesday. 

Officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of Placentia Avenue at around 11 p.m. after learning of the attack, according to the Costa Mesa Police Department. 

They arrived to find one person dead at the scene. He has not yet been identified. 

While investigating, they also found that a 19-year-old man had been attacked earlier near Placentia Avenue and Shalimar Drive. They believe that that victim, who was driven to a hospital by family members, was also attacked by the same suspect. 

An 18-year-old man identified as Christopher Matthew Pena was also arrested in the case but was not charged with Valencia on Friday. 

Investigators believe that the attacks were gang-related. 

On Saturday, officers further noted that the two different men were arrested in connection with a shooting that happened at a memorial being held for the man who was stabbed on Tuesday. 

The shooting, which happened early Friday morning at around 12:30 a.m., left one person hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. 

"The initial investigation connected this shooting to the memorial on Placentia Avenue for the deceased victim from the June 11 case," police said. 

The two suspects arrested for the shooting have been identified as Costa Mesa men Eric Garcilazo, 19, and Elmer Suarez-Morales, 20, according to Costa Mesa investigators. 

They say that Garcilazo was arrested at around 5 p.m. on Friday after he was contacted by police. He initially evaded them but he was later located after they established a large perimeter in the area of the 2100 block of Pomona Avenue with assistance from SWAT, a drone team and a K9 unit. 

Anyone with further information is asked to contact CMPD at (714) 754-5097.