March 29, 2024

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Suspect arrested in slaying of Fresno, CA homeless man

Fresno police Monday identified a member of a motorcycle gang as the suspect in a brutal slaying of a Tower District homeless man in mid-December.

Jesse Gonzalez, 33, of the Savage Assassins motorcycle group, was in the Sutter County Jail and awaiting extradition to Fresno on murder charges.

Angel Cortez Flores, 27, was killed in a strip mall at Palm and Olive avenues on Dec. 18, according to police. He was found with multiple stab wounds by three volunteers who were handing out holiday tamales to the homeless.

Friday, the Fresno police SWAT team served warrants at the Savage Assassins clubhouse near East Belmont and North First Street in connection with the slaying.

Lt. Larry Bowlan in an update Monday said Flores was living in a tent in the strip mall. Homicide detectives reviewing surveillance video determined he was attacked just after 3 a.m. by Gonzalez, who is also a Bulldog Gang member, for “no apparent reason,” police said.

Gonzalez fled to Yuba City shortly after the attack. He was arrested there Thursday, police said.

Police said anyone calling Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867 with information can remain completely anonymous.

This story was originally published January 10, 2022 11:16 AM.

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A native of Colorado, Jim Guy studied political science, Latin American politics and Spanish literature at Fresno State University, and advanced Spanish grammar in Cuernavaca, Mexico.