Santa Monica, California: Man Arrested in Mexico and Charged With Murder in March Shooting Near Police Headquarters

Santa Monica police announced on Wednesday, October 28, that a man wanted in a fatal shooting near the department headquarters in March has been arrested in Mexico, extradited to the United States and charged with murder.

Manuel Reyes, 26, of Adelanto, has been charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder, the Santa Monica Police Department said. He remains in custody with bail set at $3 million.

The night of the shooting

Officers responded at about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2026, to a report of a shooting near the intersection of 4th Street and Olympic Drive. They found an adult man suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Police have not released the victim name in the reports announcing the arrest.

Detectives determined that an altercation between the occupants of two vehicles came before the shooting. During the confrontation, a suspect fired at least one round, striking the victim, and then fled the area before officers arrived, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press account of the police report.

The intersection sits about a block from Santa Monica City Hall and next to the Santa Monica Police Department headquarters, near the onramp to Interstate 10. It was closed from about 11:15 p.m. that night until about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday while officers worked at the scene.

An arrest in Mexico

Police said an extensive investigation identified Reyes as the suspect. On October 20, 2026, he was arrested in Nayarit, Mexico, in a coordinated effort involving the Santa Monica Police Department, the United States Marshals Service Mexico Foreign Field Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Reyes was extradited to the United States and booked into the Santa Monica Police Department Jail on October 22, 2026. On October 26, 2026, he was arraigned at the Airport Courthouse on one count of murder, under California Penal Code section 187(a), and one count of attempted murder, under Penal Code sections 664 and 187.

"The Santa Monica Police Department thanks our law enforcement partners for their assistance in locating and apprehending Reyes," the department said in its statement.

Police are still asking for information about the case. Anyone with information can contact Detective Lawrence Kayondo of the Criminal Investigations Division at 310-458-8931, or the Watch Commander, available 24 hours a day, at 310-458-8427.