Suspect arrested in connection to Christmas 2017 cold-case murder in California

Police have arrested a suspect for the murder that occurred in California on Christmas Day of 2017.

On Dec. 25, 2017, Butte County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives responded to a shooting in the 2900 block of Clark Road in Oroville.

Deputies found the body of Salvador Fuentes, 27, and determined that he had died of a gunshot wound. Police found evidence that Fuentes’ death was a murder, according to the sheriff's office.

Johnny Cabrera, 34, was identified as a suspect. Police gathered evidence that made them believe Cabrera was associated with a local criminal street gang and the murder was gang-related.

For the past three years, the Chico Police Department and Butte County Sheriff’s Office have worked together to investigate Cabrera and the murder.

Over the past four months, detectives conducted additional interviews and served search warrants at two locations in Chico, according to the sheriff's office.

In May 2021, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Cabrera for an open count of murder. Deputies did not detail what led them to make the arrest in the case three years later.

Cabrera is currently incarcerated at the California Department of Corrections Corcoran State Prison. Detectives and the Butte County District Attorney’s Office are working on having Cabrera transported to the Butte County Jail.