News Release
Detectives with the Oxnard Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit have arrested two Oxnard gang members in connection with a deadly home invasion robbery.
On Monday, June 27, 2022, at approximately 7:35 P.M., the Oxnard Police Department’s Emergency Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call of a male suffering from a gunshot wound to the torso. Officers learned that the shooting took place in the 1800 block of Arcadia Street. Officers also discovered that 37-year-old Antonia Molina was transported by a private vehicle to Saint John’s Regional Medical Center for a gunshot wound. Molina was subsequently transported to the Ventura County Medical Center. Unfortunately, Molina succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that Molina, along with Frank Morales and Marco Juarez, all three documented Oxnard gang members, attempted to commit a home invasion robbery at a residence in the 1800 block of Arcadia Street. During the home invasion robbery, the homeowner, Steven Rodriguez, armed himself with a handgun and attempted to remove the suspects from inside his residence. Molina assaulted Rodriguez. During the assault, Rodriguez fired the handgun at Molina, wounding him. Juarez, who was standing outside the residence and armed with a semi-automatic handgun, heard the gunshot from inside the residence and fired recklessly into the residence before fleeing. No one was struck by the gunshots fired by Juarez.
Molina, still inside the residence, was able to disarm Rodriguez of the handgun. Molina took Rodriguez’s handgun and fled the residence, along with Morales and Juarez, to an awaiting vehicle. Molina was driven to the hospital, where he ultimately died. Morales and Juarez fled from the hospital before police arrived.
On June 29, 2022, officers from the Oxnard Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit conducted a traffic stop in the area of J Street and Bard Road. Marco Juarez was a passenger in the vehicle and was found to be in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic P-80 “Ghost Gun.” Juarez also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Juarez was subsequently taken into custody and charged with possession of an illegal firearm and his outstanding warrant.
On July 22, 2022, detectives with the Oxnard Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit obtained information that Frank Morales was inside a residence in the 1100 block of South Oxnard Boulevard, the Gateway Station Apartments. Frank Morales had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest and was on active parole.
Detectives authored a search warrant to enter the residence and arrest Frank Morales. Detectives, along with members of the Oxnard Police Department’s SWAT Team, Oxnard PD K-9 Unit, Oxnard PD Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Unit (UAV), and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office surrounded the residence in an attempt to get Morales to surrender peacefully. Morales refused to comply with the officer’s commands and barricaded himself inside the residence. While inside the apartment, Morales contacted Oxnard Police Dispatch and made several false claims in an attempt to lure police away from the residence so he could escape. After several hours, officers were able to take Morales into custody.
Frank Morales has been charged with 211 PC – Home invasion robbery, 186.22(a) PC – Street Terrorism, 148.5(c) PC – Falsely reporting a crime, and 148(a)(1) PC – Resist, obstruct, delay a peace officer. Morales is in custody at the Ventura County Main Jail and is being held on $950,000 bail.
Marco Juarez has been charged with 245(b) PC – Assault with a semi-automatic firearm, 245(a)(1) PC – Assault with a deadly weapon, 186.22(a) PC – Street Terrorism, 211 PC – Home invasion robbery, 246 PC – Shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and 29800(a)(1) PC – Own, possess or control a firearm by a felon. Juarez is in custody at the Ventura County Main Jail and is being held on $1,400,000 bail.
Also, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office will be reviewing the shooting death of Antonio Molina by the homeowner, Steven Rodriguez, to determine if the shooting was a justifiable homicide that occurred during the commission of the home invasion robbery.
Detectives are encouraging anyone who has any information or may have heard or seen anything to contact Detective Ken Tougas at (805) 200-5669. The City of Oxnard offers a reward of $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any individuals responsible for committing homicides within the City of Oxnard.
Detectives are asking anyone who may have video recorded or photographed all or part of the incident to upload your media directly to the investigators via the following link: https://oxnardpd.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/1800arcadia
All submissions are immediately logged into the Oxnard Police Department’s digital evidence system. Contact information is not stored by Axon, and community members can remain anonymous, choosing to upload their files without providing contact information.
Also, anyone with information regarding this case or other criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7600 or online via the Oxnard Police Department’s website:www.oxnardpd.org, and clicking on Report Suspicious Activity. You can remain anonymous if you choose to do so. You can also remain anonymous by calling the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. You can also visit this site: www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org to submit a tip via text or email.
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It used to be in this state if someone died during the course of the commission of a felony, it was first degree murder. It was called the felony murder rule. It didn’t matter whether it was the victim or one of the perps, a death attributed to the commission of a felony warranted a first degree murder charge under the felony murder rule. Has that gone by the wayside also?
The DA’s office is investigating whether the shooting and subsequent death of one of the perps at the hands of the vic was justifiable use of force?
Molina must have been one tough hombre to have suffered a fatal gunshot wound but was still able to disarm the homeowner. Or was it one of the wild shots from outside that “struck no one inside” actually did the deed and struck Molina and the coroner hasn’t found the wound yet?
There was no mention of early release of any of the perps. Anyone want to bet at least one or perhaps all of the perps in this incident were early release felons? It would appear from the account that all three and perhaps Rodriguez too were all well known to OPD.