No Evidence that Campbell Murder Victim had Gang Affiliations

Tucked behind the Campbell Community Center, Dunster Drive is lined with apartment complexes, most with strollers, tree swings and evidence of young children living there.

Nora Jaimes, a three-year resident of the Dunster Drive neighborhood was pushing her two children down the street in a stroller when Campbell Patch approached her.

She said, in Spanish, that the neighborhood has always been quiet and peaceful. That there are mostly families with children that live here.

Jaimes heard two gunshots on March 3, peeked her head out and then went back inside and locked the door.

At about 10:20 p.m. on Sunday, Mar. 3, Campbell Police responded to a report of a shooting on Latimer Avenue near Dunster Drive in Campbell, Campbell Police Department Capt. Charley Adams said.

Officers found 18-year-old Campbell resident Richard Vega suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for emergency surgery. He died shortly after midnight.

"We're looking at whether this was gang-related as a possibility but there is no evidence that shows the victim was involved in gangs or had any gang affiliations."

Adams said that Vega, who lived in the neighborhood was walking along the sidewalk, near the fence at the end of the community center field when he was shot.

"We have reports of a car leaving the area, described only as a dark colored sedan," Adams said. "The investigators have been in the area trying to contact witnesses and possible evidence. We are also asking that anyone who has a home security system pointed at the street and living within six to eight blocks of the shooting to share their video with us. It would be helpful so that we can focus in on the car."

Residents React to First Homicide in Six Years

Residents who know the neighborhood, have lived there or know of others that have commented and shared their thoughts and fears on the Campbell Patch Facebook page.

"Gang or drug-related, I assume? That whole block of Dunster is a mess, like Cadillac on the other side of Hamilton. Sad to hear about this but if you'd asked me where Campbell's next murder would take place, it would have been there or over in meth lab town off Budd behind the Safeway. I don't have a solution, of course, just making the observation. Condolences to the family." --Scott Coffer

"My brother lived over there (as Dave Molloy mentioned) and he always called it "Dumpster Avenue" because of all the sketchy people that live on that street. He had the gas siphoned out of his vintage car more than once." --George Heath

"I live over on North Milton and it's a great neighborhood. Dunster Avenue is apartments and there are lots of families and lots of kids playing outside. It's clear there are some bad folks, but we need to pull together and not point fingers. I am sure the families that live on Dunster are just as concerned as the folks on the neighboring streets." --Kristen Kenny

A Six-Year-Old Murder

The last homicide that occurred in the Orchard City was on Nov. 1, 2007. A 24-year-old Campbell resident, Efrain Aleman was gunned down in the area of Sunnyoaks Avenue, west of Winchester Boulevard.

"He was walking from the 7-Eleven and we believe that someone came up to him on the street and shot him," Adams said. "He had no gang-ties but the evidence indicated this was a possible case of mistaken identity."

Aleman worked at China China in Santa Clara, lived with his brother and roommates and spent most his time working, police said.

This case was Campbell's only homicide in 2007 and is still open and unsolved.

Anyone with information about either of these incidents is asked to contact the Campbell Police Department Investigations Unit at (408) 871-5190 or to leave an anonymous tip, contact Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-7867.