SALINAS VALLEY — A Monterey County grand jury has indicted a 21-year-old Greenfield man in connection with six murders and other crimes tied to a series of 2024 shootings that shook South Monterey County, according to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
The indictment charges Manuel Galindo Rodriguez, 21, of Greenfield, with a Feb. 3, 2024, armed robbery in Salinas, the Feb. 4, 2024, killings of cousins Andres Garcia and Jack Canchola outside Greenfield, and a March 3, 2024, shooting at a King City birthday party that left four people dead and seven others wounded.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the Monterey County Criminal Grand Jury returned the indictment after hearing five days of testimony from witnesses. Prosecutors said the grand jury found probable cause to charge Rodriguez and determined each offense was committed “for the benefit of the Norteno Criminal Street Gang.”
Authorities allege Rodriguez, along with Angel Evans, 20, Jonathan Cervantes, 20, and Pedro Nava, 35 — all of Greenfield — participated in the crimes. Evans, Cervantes and Nava were charged in May 2024, and prosecutors intend to join Rodriguez’s case with theirs.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Evans and other gang members stole two vehicles from the Monterey Peninsula in January and February 2024. Prosecutors said Evans was participating in the TAILS program at Wonder Wood Ranch in Prunedale at the time and kept the stolen vehicles near his residence.
Investigators allege Evans, Cervantes, Rodriguez and two other assailants used one of the stolen vehicles to rob the Big 5 Sporting Goods store at Northridge Mall in Salinas on Feb. 3, 2024. Prosecutors said four masked suspects entered the store armed with firearms, threatened employees and stole about $2,000 worth of ammunition before fleeing.
The following day, prosecutors allege Nava directed Evans, Cervantes and Rodriguez to search for rival gang members in South Monterey County.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the group encountered Garcia and Canchola parked near a bridge outside Greenfield and mistakenly believed they were rivals. Prosecutors said Garcia drove away while Canchola called 911, leading to a pursuit that ended when their truck crashed in a vineyard off Los Coches Road.
“Evans, Cervantes, and Rodriguez exited the stolen vehicle and murdered Jack and Andres,” the District Attorney’s Office stated. Prosecutors allege the suspects fired dozens of rounds, inflicting more than 40 gunshot wounds on the two men.
Authorities also allege Nava directed the three men to carry out the March 3, 2024, shooting at a family birthday party in King City.
According to prosecutors, the suspects drove to the party in a second stolen vehicle, watched the gathering for nearly an hour and then opened fire on people gathered beneath a tent in the front yard.
The shooting killed Francisco Perez, Olivo Perez, Mario Guzman and Alicia Aparicio, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Seven others suffered gunshot wounds.
Prosecutors said Nava and Evans later exchanged text messages “celebrating the death toll.”
The District Attorney’s Office said the indictment followed more than two years of investigation involving the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, the King City Police Department and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators reportedly served hundreds of search warrants and analyzed large amounts of digital evidence.
Rodriguez has remained in custody since April 2024. In November 2024, he was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison for firearm possession and an assault committed while housed in Monterey County Jail, according to prosecutors.
Rodriguez is scheduled to be arraigned May 26 at 1:30 p.m. in Department 1 of Monterey County Superior Court.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are asking anyone with information to contact law enforcement.
