Man on the Run for 12 Years From Murder Charges Hid Out in Mendocino Growing Marijuana

RICARDO PUENTAS, Jr

RICARDO PUENTES, Jr photo from about 12 years ago.

About 7 a.m. Wednesday near Redding, the FBI, Santa Rosa detectives, Shasta County SWAT and Sheriff’s deputies surrounded the home of Ricardo Puentes, Jr. The man was a suspect in a 2005 execution style slaying that occurred in a Santa Rosa apartment.

Allegedly Puentes had supported himself over his years on the run by growing marijuana in northern Mendocino near Leggett not far from the Humboldt County line.

According to the Press Democrat,

After daybreak, with the SWAT team surrounding the residence, sheriff’s officials called out to Puentes through an open window. Realizing he was surrounded Puentes picked up his baby boy and stood in a window, Ludtke said.

“He was refusing to come out. It was kind of a hostage situation for a little bit,” Ludtke said.

Negotiations lasted about 10 minutes before Puentes came out, handed the baby to an officer and was arrested.

Just recently, Puentes, his girlfriend, their infant son, and her two children moved near Redding from their rural home south of Leggett. In northern Mendocino, Puentes was known as Tony. But in 2005, Puentes is believed to have been a member of the Norteño street gang who killed 27-year-old Semere Girmai in what was believed to be dispute about drugs and territory.

According to the FBI,

On January 15, 2005, Puentes, Jr. and two other suspects allegedly knocked on the door of an apartment in Santa Rosa. When a female resident opened the door to allow the three suspects inside, Puentes, Jr. allegedly pulled out a handgun and began shooting. One victim was shot and killed and a second was wounded before the suspects fled.

Puentes disappeared. He is rumored to have made occasional trips back to Santa Rosa to visit family. He has been in northern Mendocino at least four years but possibly a great deal longer. He told one friend he had come to the area as a kid but that has not been confirmed.

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papa sancho
Guest
papa sancho
7 years ago

No bueno, esta muy malo, mota es vida, adios, pinche Diabolito.

Hows my Spanish?

The vato’s say im one hell of a gringo.

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
7 years ago
Reply to  papa sancho

They’re correct!!!

James
Guest
James
7 years ago
Reply to  papa sancho

U guys don’t really understand this guy. He was a Charlie Manson of the 90s. He had a lot of people to do what he wanted them to do. Why do you think he made it on the run so long? Degenerate. 3 kids with different girlfriends and only care about his ass. Yes law enforcement also blackmailed people to get info on him. Even people who had nothing to do with him. To me both are pathetic and hopefully justice will be served for the one he murdered and the people who were affected by his selfish ass!

James
Guest
James
7 years ago
Reply to  James

Oh yeah by the way way. All you who call him an illegal. Well he was born and raised in Sonoma county(Rincon valley) get educated! Learn the facts!

Joachim
Guest
Joachim
7 years ago
Reply to  James

Who mentioned, “illegal?”

Crys
Guest
Crys
7 years ago
Reply to  James

Obviously you didn’t know him because he WAS and still is one of the most realest honest kindest humans in the world.. unless you were there and know all the facts you shouldn’t judge or comment on things you know nothing about but what these media thinks they know

James
Guest
James
7 years ago
Reply to  Crys

Knew him since I was a kid. Don’t be naive.

Azalea
Guest
2 years ago
Reply to  James

Hunny no he has you all fooled I know more about this shit then all of you I was there.

Seamus
Guest
Seamus
7 years ago
Reply to  Crys

Yeah, holding up his infant son when police tried to arrest him, hmmm, pretty real and honest, kind maybe not.

Azalea
Guest
2 years ago
Reply to  Crys

Please shut the fuck up he’s literally a child molester. Yeah he hurt me and he deserves longer in prison.

Crys
Guest
Crys
7 years ago
Reply to  James

You’re calling him a degenerate but then you’re turning around and saying other people need to get their facts.. you need to get yours cuz he’s far from a degenerate!!

James
Guest
James
7 years ago
Reply to  Crys

Guess u knew him as Tony but didn’t know who he was b4 you met him. Or maybe you just sympathize for a murderer.

David L Feild
Guest
David L Feild
6 years ago
Reply to  James

How long did you know Ricardo? Probably not long, I knew him since 6 grade at Rincon valley junior high, so don’t be trolling on here as if you know him, he is a stand up dude, you are talking out your @$$.

James
Guest
James
6 years ago
Reply to  David L Feild

How long? Since the early 80s yeah like kids. Not 6th or 7th grade like all you smart guys. Your speaking out of your a#% not me. What does that prove anyhow? If you dress up as a women and leave your children behind and have the nerve to start a new family you really have no feeling for anyone but yourself. I saw him corrupt many people. He belongs off the street. He should pay his dues. If you play you pay. Why would you have the nerve to use your infant son as a bargaining chip to slip away again? Not a man a coward. I did time because of his cowardly ways. Freedom is something never to take for granted. So screw all you who say you knew him!

Azalea
Guest
2 years ago
Reply to  David L Feild

He’s a child molester.

Tiffinie McCracken
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  James

To James you have no clue who your talking about..so you read papers and create a story about a person you probably mabe met once or not at all..if you knew him they are gonna make him sound worse to get the community excited on bullshit..there are much more positive things he’s done since he was a child and adult..even the 12yrs he gave so much the heart he always has had still does. What you don’t know about a person you don’t speak. You don’t speak on media to make anything look better or worse then they do …so go with the flow you are obviously a follwer..well lead a pack with knowledge not jumping on the band wagan. Things happen for reasons and the public isn’t aware of. Know true facts not an imaginary dream. Too everyone leave family alone and (no)him & I are not blood it’s just tacky and shows childish mind frame you will have a hard life living with that mind frame.

James
Guest
James
7 years ago

Your Angry! I’m relieved! Grew up with him. Knew him and brother Jose. He knew my family I knew his. Don’t forget a room full of witnesses blame him for murder. But I guess that means nothing when you shoot a man in the face chest head to make him unrecognizable. Plus u run for 12 years when u did nothing wrong. Anyone who knew him or had contact with brother “Jose” is suspect and guilty according to cops. He didn’t care about that. Had he been that person you saw in him he never would have ran like the coward he is.

Azalea
Guest
2 years ago

He’s a predator hun.

David Pavlovsky
Guest
David Pavlovsky
5 years ago
Reply to  James

I knew him…stand up dude. Alot of people talk this and that yet if you knew him he would never use his kid as a token. 10 minutes to say goodbye to your kid ain’t much when swat is knock that life shyt…the media is twisted just like the streets. Worrd is sameir had it coming for making threats on the streets…real threats that got him
Smoked like many other wanna beez…Charles Manson. Come on James…. quit haten…you never knew him otherwise you would agree he was a good person…don’t hate the player hate the game!!!!

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
7 years ago

12 years!! So either the cops are terrible at their job,or the criminal is smarter? I think theirs so much crime going on these days and not enough law to deal with it. We need double the law enforcement everywhere. I’m glad they caught him. I wonder how many others he hurt before he got caught

JuryandJudge
Guest
JuryandJudge
7 years ago

California needs to bring back the death penalty. I dont want a single penny of my tax dillars to pay for this guys stay in prison. He should receive the same pu ishment he dished out.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago
Reply to  JuryandJudge

The death penalty is alive and well in California. I suggest you read this: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-state-bar-trutanich-20170222-story,amp.html
It will help you understand WHY the system moves so slowly as to be considered non-existent.

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
7 years ago
Reply to  JuryandJudge

Dumbass. People like this guy, gang members, do not care one tiny bit about the death penalty.

Honeybee
Guest
Honeybee
7 years ago
Reply to  JuryandJudge

Death penalty costs taxpayers more in appeals, etc. Life in prison is cheaper.

Jamara
Guest
Jamara
7 years ago
Reply to  JuryandJudge

It costs more to kill them. Check it out.

Honeydew Bridge Chump
Guest
Honeydew Bridge Chump
7 years ago

Marijuana and murder….

I thought the devil’s lettuce was all about peace, love, grateful dead tours, and saving up for fake dreadlocks, have I been misinformed?

Brian
Guest
Brian
7 years ago

I thought your buddy Milo was about freeDUMB and speech.

What’s this about pedophilia?

Go back to church and milo where you are regarded as intelligent.

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
7 years ago
Reply to  Brian

Chumpn and Milo ain’t considered smart anywhere. Ever!

Matthew Meyer
Guest
Matthew Meyer
7 years ago

Yes, you’ve been misinformed. The violence caused by marijuana addiction has long been known to men of science, such as Harry Anslinger: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Licata

hmm
Guest
hmm
7 years ago

Prohibition has historically contributed to crime.

N
Guest
N
7 years ago

Anyone think this is the only fugitive growing here?

BeanCounter
Guest
BeanCounter
7 years ago

Lets play Legal or Illegal.
Who wants to guess?!

Honeybee
Guest
Honeybee
7 years ago
Reply to  BeanCounter

Let’s play who’s the racist. You. No one is illegal. Some are undocumented immigrants.

AnonymousHumboldtian
Guest
AnonymousHumboldtian
7 years ago
Reply to  Honeybee

No documents. That means they illegaly immigrated. Hence the term illegal immigrant. Your term is more PC, but you’re just arguing semantics.

With that said, the comment he left and his handle are borderline racist.

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
7 years ago

No his comments were blatantly fascist. Yours are borderline. The Lifeboat theory of geopolitics is racist. If there aren’t enough resources for everyone on Earth to live as materially as Americans do, then there should be a re-evaluation of how we live. The national drive to make people go “home” to poverty is very racist.

Uncledave
Guest
Uncledave
7 years ago
Reply to  Ernestine

You should move to one of these third world dumps like Mexico and begin your work to solve every injustice ever visited upon mankind. Good luck.

Huh ?
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  Honeybee

Yeah and I guess kidnappers are just undocumented babysitters .

Maniac
Guest
Maniac
7 years ago
Reply to  Honeybee

Undocumented is a federal crime. Bust your bubble…

Sep
Guest
Sep
7 years ago

Why even have the death penalty as law if there not goin to use it. And let our dam tax dollars pay for murders to b housed for 25 to life. If they kill someone and its proven 100percent. Like caught on video than kill that son of bit— the same day as they found guilty. Stop using hard workin folks tax dollars on these piece of craps

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
7 years ago
Reply to  Sep

The corruption of prosecuting entities is why. Please check this out:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-state-bar-trutanich-20170222-story,amp.html

Jamara
Guest
Jamara
7 years ago
Reply to  Sep

No one has ever been found innocent after a trial, right? Really?

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago

South of Leggett would be Bell Springs or Spy Rock, both are farther from the Humboldt County line then Leggett.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Liz
South of Leggett would be ‘South Leggett’. Like the other side of the ridge to the south of Leggett.

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago

He isn’t from South Leggett nor from Cummings.

peggy
Guest
peggy
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Yes he lived here in leggett

peggy
Guest
peggy
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Yep we all know the whole family here kids are in the school here also untill they recently moved

Azalea
Guest
2 years ago
Reply to  peggy

Mind your own business. You guys don’t even know how bad he is, stop talking about my family and I’m not including that predator as family.

N
Guest
N
7 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Unless you are out bell springs really far. It curves 18 miles all the way up to garberville. Which is way into Humboldt.

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
7 years ago

Oops, Oh dear “Clumsy Him”!!!

gunther
Guest
gunther
7 years ago

After the murder he turned over a new “leaf”?

MOGTX
Guest
7 years ago

He should have went back to Mexico,and stayed there ,but now we have to pay to incarcerate another illegal .He might be a legal alien ,but I highly doubt it.

uhhhhhhh! lol!
Guest
uhhhhhhh! lol!
7 years ago
Reply to  MOGTX

Hey the door on your head is shut, you might want to open it and view the world from somewhere else than your digital screen.

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
7 years ago
Reply to  uhhhhhhh! lol!

Doesn’t matter if there’s a peabrain inside.

Matthew Meyer
Guest
Matthew Meyer
7 years ago
Reply to  MOGTX

There’s no info in this article about his immigration status.

Do you consider a Hispanic name to be evidence of illegal immigration, or don’t you know that Santa Rosa is in California?

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

But it’s the simpleton’s way to assume based on fox FAKE news fed notions of hate and fear.

David L Feild
Guest
David L Feild
6 years ago
Reply to  MOGTX

He isn’t from mexico, he is from Santa Rosa, His mom was born in California, they are Chicano’s!

David Pavlovsky
Guest
David Pavlovsky
5 years ago
Reply to  MOGTX

Not illegal alien. Been here forever. Get your facts straight [edit]

Shocked
Guest
Shocked
7 years ago

I am SHOCKED to see this. Dumbfounded. I saw this man around town a bit and found him to be extremely polite. Mild mannered in my general experience with him, kind and a very caring father, not a trouble maker or aggressive in stance or demeanor. Just unreal.

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago
Reply to  Shocked

I would be too if I was on the run.

Ernestine
Guest
Ernestine
7 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Or if he were innocent. Right Liz?

Barb
Guest
Barb
7 years ago
Reply to  Shocked

He was a heroin addict before he got together with Ryan. He detoxed at her home. Yes nice good dad. But definitely something offish about him.

Azalea
Guest
2 years ago
Reply to  Barb

Child molester that’s what.

Azalea
Guest
2 years ago
Reply to  Shocked

He had all of you fooled.

guest
Guest
guest
7 years ago

How does this make you feel folks? This guy was hiding out for 12 years, 100 miles and a 2 hours drive from where he committed a murder. Do you know who your next door neighbors are? This is a wake up call for all of us living behind the “Redwood Curtain”. It’s time to go and learn how to protect yourself, if you don’t have this knowledge or skillset.

guest
Guest
guest
7 years ago
Reply to  guest

Correction: allegedly committed a murder.

Shak
Guest
Shak
7 years ago

He is a suspect in a crime. He wasn’t convicted of a crime.
I hope they get it all straightened out and that the guilty one(s) is captured, tried and sentenced.

Denny
Guest
Denny
7 years ago

This guy killed someone in a gang dispute about territory or product, not an innocent bystander or a positive member of society. Who cares? And so he was a nice guy in town, don’t see how that changes anything, everyone here is so morally pure like they’ve never done a wrong in their life.

Denny
Guest
Denny
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I’m not saying I want to see him at the PTA meeting but these hills have a busy past so t speak.

Maniac
Guest
Maniac
7 years ago
Reply to  Denny

You lack basic morals.

John
Guest
John
7 years ago

Leggett seems to have its share of unsavory characters.

Shocked
Guest
Shocked
7 years ago
Reply to  John

John, upon what do you base that judgmental statement?

save our watershead
Guest
save our watershead
7 years ago

leggett is a lovely place withall kinds of people

Yakitarian
Guest
Yakitarian
7 years ago

Sounds like a “bad hombre”!

Maniac
Guest
Maniac
7 years ago

Me pregunto si es un inmigrante ilegal. Si lo está, espero que la policía lo entregue a la inmigración y no lo deje ir de nuevo aquí de nuevo.

James
Guest
James
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kim I agree with you all the way.

David L Feild
Guest
David L Feild
6 years ago

Ricardo was a good friend of mine in seventh grade, matter of fact I got busted stealing guns from a drug dealers house, and Ricardo’s mom was the only person to come visit me, he is a great dude, and nobody should talk about why he did what he did, who are you to judge? I know the guy and I would back him up any day.

Unbelievable
Guest
Unbelievable
2 years ago

All of you that are sticking up for this guy have you not noticed the various posts from march 2021 from
Azealia who was the beautiful little girl that was living with him here in south leggett and then Redding because her mom was his girl friend she has posted he was a child molester and a bad man..she also has a little sister..how extremely horrifying is that..all 3 of her kids are in foster care still but yet now Ryan has a 4 month old baby.
A ton of bad decisions made by this mother of 4 beautiful kids