Ventura County prosecutors call it a heartbreaking case. A man working as a plumber who was trying to save money to buy a house for his parents becomes a murder victim, with a co-worker as the suspect.
Now, there’s been an arrest. DA Eric Nasarenko said they filed 11 felony counts, including murder, against Rotherie Foster of Camarillo.
Jose Velasquez mysteriously disappeared from the Conejo Valley last summer. Then in October, his body was discovered in the Santa Monica Mountains.
The case was a huge mystery, which got widespread media coverage in Southern California. Velasquez was last seen on July 27, 2022 in Thousand Oaks. His van was later found in Newbury Park. He was a young contractor with plans to open his own business.
Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said on October 3, 2022 Velasquez’s remains were discovered in the Santa Monica Mountains. "The victim's remains were located in LA County...it was a couple of hikers," said Fryhoff.
The LA Coroner's Office identified the remains, and notified Ventura County officials.
He had been shot multiple times. It’s believed the murder occurred in Ventura County. But, what do detectives and prosecutors think led to the killing? They say the two men knew each other, they both worked as plumbers, and it was about money.
"This is a murder for money case," said the District Attorney. "The murder was carried out for financial gain."
The District Attorney says they actually arrested Foster last August, after detectives say they found he was using money from the victim’s debit card, and checking account.
At a news conference in Ventura, Nasarenko talked about why they didn’t file murder chargers sooner against Foster. He said it started as a financial fraud case, but the evidence, and the discovery of the body turned it into a murder case.
"These take time...they take effort...they take hard work," said Nasarenko. He said they wanted to make sure they had a solid case before pursuing the additional charges
Foster has a long criminal history. He’s 37 years old, but spent 21 years behind bars for voluntary manslaughter and assault convictions. With the charges he’s facing, and two prior strikes, a conviction could open the door to life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. But, the DA said it's too soon to talk about what penalties they might pursue.
Foster appeared in court Wednesday, but hasn’t entered pleas to the charges against him yet.
Nasarenko called the death is a true tragedy. Jose Velasquez moved to California from Virginia about five years ago, and was in the process of launching a career as a contractor. He leaves behind his parents, two sisters, and a brother.
