Rohnert Park man identified as Mendocino County homicide victim

A 27-year-old Rohnert Park man was identified as the victim of a homicide reported last week in a rural area of Mendocino County.

Edgar Alejandro Becerra-Almaraz was pronounced dead early July 23 after authorities responded to calls of gunfire in the 50-000 block of Bell Springs Road, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

The scene is east of Leggett and about 2½ hours north of Santa Rosa.

Gunfire was reported about 1:30 a.m. and Sheriff’s deputies found Becerra-Almaraz with a gunshot wound to his leg, but his exact cause of death was under investigation.

Deputies discovered a marijuana grow with plants in a greenhouse and outdoors on the property, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

A search through the area ended around 6 a.m. when authorities detained two people.

One of them was identified as Rohnert Park resident Oscar Alvarez Ruiz, 23, who’s accused of killing Becerra-Almaraz, investigators said.

They have not disclosed the identity of the other person who was detained and further investigation was expected for the marijuana and motive behind the killing.

During the search, a sheriff’s deputy suffered a significant, but non-life threatening, leg injury from a fall and was taken to an area hospital by ambulance, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi.