San Jose police make arrest in 2016 knife murder case

June 29, 2024

SAN JOSE – Authorities announced an arrest Friday in connection with the stabbing death of a man eight years ago in San Jose.

San Jose police found the man’s body around 10 a.m. on July 17, 2016, in the 400 block of North First Street, near Ryland Park. He had been stabbed at least once.

“Despite all investigative efforts, no suspect was identified or arrested at the time of the incident,” Officer Tanya Hernandez said in a press release about the arrest.

The victim was later identified as Jose Lopez, 51, of San Jose. His death was the 27th homicide in the city in 2016.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Team reinvestigated the case in 2022 and identified Marco Iniquez Jr. as a possible suspect, Hernandez said.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Iniquez, but he remained at large for two more years.

On May 30, officers found and arrested Iniquez in Aromas, an unincorporated community in Monterey and San Benito counties. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on murder charges.

Iniquez is being held without bail at the San Jose Main Jail, according to jail records. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 22.

Hernandez said the motive and circumstances of the murder are currently under investigation.

In the first half of 2024, detectives closed six murder cases from previous years, two of them with the assistance of the prosecutor’s cold case team, Hernandez said.

“The San Jose Police Department appreciates this cooperation and will continue to work to bring justice to victims of unsolved murders,” Lt. John Barg said in a statement.

Anyone with information about the case should contact Detective Sgt. Ivan Barragan at [email protected], Detective Catherine Van Brande at [email protected] or both at 408-277-5283.

Tips can also be left with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867 or at siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org.