MODESTO, Calif. — Two individuals have been arrested in connection to the fatal stabbing of 34-year-old Akeem Mohammed El-Haji in Modesto on December 8, 2023. However, a third suspect is still on the run, believed to have fled to Mexico, according to the Modesto Police Department.
Detectives revealed that El-Haji was found with multiple stab wounds near 9th and D Streets, and it is suspected that the attack was motivated by a prior altercation. Police indicated that El-Haji had allegedly assaulted one of the suspects, which prompted the trio to travel to Modesto and allegedly carry out the violent attack.
Two of the suspects were apprehended in Watsonville on Wednesday, December 13. Anahys Cepetillo-Chable, 37, and Julio Martinez-Capetillo, 21, have been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Police say the third suspect, 28-year-old Cristofer Vazquez-Villanueva, remains at large and is thought to have fled to Mexico. Vazquez-Villanueva is also facing charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
The police believe that El-Haji was specifically targeted in retaliation for the alleged assault, and there is no indication that it was a random attack.
In remembrance of El-Haji, the MoPride organization will be hosting a gathering at their 508 13th Street center in Modesto on Thursday afternoon. The event will honor El-Haji’s memory, as the community seeks justice for the victim and his family.
The Modesto Police Department continues to investigate the case and is urging anyone with information about Vazquez-Villanueva’s whereabouts to come forward.
