SAN JOSE, Calif. – Three men are in custody for allegedly killing a homeless man several months ago in San Jose.
Juan Flores-Gonzalez, Miguel Cortez and Julio Espinoza-Chavez were arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of murder, according to the San Jose Police Department.
The SJPD said officers were called on the morning of June 22 to the 600 block of Wool Creek Drive on reports of a missing person and met with “friends and family” who reported to authorities that they expected foul play because they had found the missing person’s bicycle abandoned near a creek trail, a short distance from blood stains and spent bullet casings.
SJPD homicide detectives took over the investigation into the matter, and the police department confirmed three days after the report was filed that the blood found at the scene belonged to the missing person.
Man’s death stemmed from fight, prosecutors allege
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“Detectives later determined, based on circumstantial evidence, that the missing person had been murdered and was likely buried in the Saratoga Hills area, near Highway 9,” the SJPD said in a statement. “Investigators obtained arrest warrants for all three suspects, along with search warrants for their associated residences.”
Prosecutors allege the man’s death was the result of a grudge over a fight.Â
Detectives say suspect Gonzalez had gotten into a fight with the victim and suffered a black eye.
According to investigators, a witness told police Gonzalez swore revenge by finding and shooting the victim.
The 44-year-old Gonzalez is alleged to have been the one to shoot the victim and has been charged with murder in the case.
Espinoza-Chavez, 43, and Cortez, 41, are facing charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Juan Flores-Gonzalez, one of three suspects in a homeless man’s murder, in court in Santa Clara County on Oct. 10, 2025.
Identifying the victim
What’s next:
The three suspects appeared in court Friday, and will return Nov. 3 at 1:30 p.m.
Investigators with cadaver dogs searched the Saratoga Hills area near Highway 9 on Thursday and found buried remains, according to the SJPD.
The remains were exhumed, and authorities are working to confirm whether they belong to the man who was reported missing.
The death is being investigated as San Jose’s 23rd homicide of 2025.
“This case was as complex as it was compelling,” said SJPD Chief Paul Joseph. “Our detectives handled it with care, compassion, and relentless determination. Their work once again shows why our Homicide Unit maintains a 100% solve rate and is a reflection of their unwavering commitment to justice.”
The Source: San Jose Police Department