Ventura County District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced that Richard Steven Valencia a 42 year-old of Santa Paula, was charged in the October 9, 2020, shooting of Samir Salgado, also of Santa Paula. The complaint charges one count of attempted murder with an allegation that Mr. Valencia personally used a firearm, one count of felony assault with a deadly weapon on Mr. Salgado, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
On October 9, 2020, Mr. Salgado was walking in the parking lot of his apartment complex on North 8th Street in Santa Paula when allegedly he was shot at close range with a handgun. Mr. Salgado was transported to the hospital to receive medical treatment for his injuries. Two days later, Mr. Valencia was arrested for the shooting by Santa Paula Police Department.
Mr. Valencia appeared in court on October 14, 2020, and pled not guilty to the charges and allegations. The case was continued to October 23, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court for an early disposition conference and for a preliminary hearing on October 27, 2020, at 8:15 a.m. in courtroom 14. Mr. Valencia is currently in custody with bail set at $1,130,000.