Sheriff: Rio Nido man stabbed to death after fight with minor suspect

A Rio Nido man was stabbed to death and a minor arrested on suspicion of murder after the two got in a fight Sunday night in Rio Nido, authorities said.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim as 41-year-old Jose Villavicencio in a news release.

According to the release, dispatchers received 911 calls about a fight off Canyon 1 Road near Canyon 2 Road just after 9 p.m.

When sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found Villavicencio suffering from multiple stab wounds. Medical personnel attempted to save him but he died at the scene, authorities said.

The male suspect was still at the scene and was arrested and booked into juvenile hall on suspicion of murder.

Deputies learned the victim and suspect had gotten into a fight, which ended in the stabbing, according to the release.

Misti Wood, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, said they would not be releasing any further information about the case, including what the suspect’s relationship is to the victim and if the stabbing occurred at a home.

Detectives are still investigating and no additional information will be released about the suspect because of his age, authorities said.

Rio Nido, a small unincorporated town in Sonoma County, sits on the lower Russian River, less than a mile away from Guerneville.

“It’s devastating anytime anything like this happens,” said DeeAnn Mayer, manager of the nearby Cottages On River Road.

She said she didn’t know the victim or the circumstances surrounding the stabbing, but is shocked nonetheless, as the community is very “tight knit.“

“My heart goes out to be the people involved and anybody in the community who knew them,“ Mayer said.

You can reach Staff Writer Alana Minkler at 707-526-8511 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @alana_minkler.