Prosecutors charge 5 with murder in Ceres bar shooting

Prosecutors on Friday charged five men with murder in an alleged gang-related shooting outside a Ceres bar.

Two of the defendants appeared in court Friday afternoon for the first time since their arrests earlier this week. Authorities were still looking for the three other suspects.

Richard Isaac Monroy and Gabriel Enrique Gallardo, both 18, were arrested Wednesday as investigators served search warrants at six homes in Ceres and Modesto in connection with the fatal shooting of Derrick Farrow.

Monroy and Gallardo, along with Luis Emeterio Martinez, Jesus Prudente Ramirez and Eric Sanchez-Padilla, all 20, have been charged with murder in Farrow’s death, according to a criminal complaint in court Friday. Martinez, Ramirez and Sanchez-Padilla remain fugitives.

Farrow, 33, of Ceres was shot to death outside Runaround Sue bar at 1409 Mitchell Road after a fight that started inside Dec. 26.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Scott Steffen postponed the arraignment for Monroy and Gallardo until Friday, so their defense attorneys can determine whether they have any conflicts of interest in representing them. The defendants remained in custody at the county jail.

The murder charge for each defendant comes with an enhancement charging them with committing the crime for the benefit of the Norteño street gang, using a gun and acting with premeditation, according to the complaint. The defendants also are charged with assault likely to cause great bodily injury with a gang enhancement and participating in a criminal street gang.

Ceres police officials have said it’s unclear what started the fight at the Ceres bar last month. Detectives believe at least eight people were involved.

Special weapons and tactics teams served the search warrants Wednesday morning. Ceres police led the searches with the assistance of the Modesto Police Department, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, the Turlock Police Department and the federally funded Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force.

Investigators searched and seized evidence at Ceres homes in the 1200 block of Snow Ridge Court, the 1600 block of Morello Drive, the 1500 block of Caulfield Drive and the 1600 block of Central Avenue, as well as Modesto homes in the 3400 block of Yerington Court and the 2300 block of Gutherie Street.

Monroy was arrested at his home on Gutherie, and Gallardo was arrested at his home on Yerington, according to Ceres police. Investigators have indicated that Sanchez-Padilla is the suspected shooter.

This story was originally published January 23, 2015 at 6:41 PM with the headline "Prosecutors charge 5 with murder in Ceres bar shooting."