By Khalida Sarwari
Police have arrested a 34-year-old man in connection with a murder in San Jose last month.
Adrian Sarmiento, of San Jose, was already in custody on an unrelated theft charge when he was arrested Friday on suspicion of murdering 54-year-old Gilbert Flores.
Flores died June 30 after family members took him, unconscious, to Regional Medical Center of San Jose five days earlier, police Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said.
The family initially said he had fallen and hit his head, but after he died, Flores’ sister told police that his injuries could have been from an assault, Lopez said.
On Thursday, the Santa Clara County medical examiner’s office determined he had been murdered, Lopez said.
It appears there was a physical altercation between Sarmiento and Flores prior to the murder, Lopez said. He could not elaborate on how police linked Sarmiento to Flores’ death.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case but has not yet filed charges, spokeswoman Amy Cornell said.
The San Jose Police Department’s homicide unit is investigating and asks anyone with information about the case to call homicide Detective Sgt. Dave Gutierrez or Detective Sgt. Tony Mata at (408) 266-5283. Anonymous tips can be left at (408) 947-STOP.
Flores was the city’s 14th homicide victim of the year, Lopez said.