A 26-year-old man from Perris, Jeremy Whittle, has been arrested in connection with the cold-case murder of 22-year-old Santiago Diaz, Riverside County officials announced on Monday.
The tragic incident occurred in November 2019, when Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a shooting in the 700 block of East 7th Street in Perris. Upon arrival, authorities found three individuals with gunshot wounds. Two victims were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while Diaz was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Riverside Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit took over the investigation, but despite extensive efforts, the case went cold, and no arrests were made. However, in late 2024, detectives revisited the case after uncovering new evidence that led them to re-open the investigation.
Though the sheriff’s department did not disclose the exact methods used, they identified Whittle as a suspect. On March 27, 2025, he was arrested and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.
Details surrounding the investigation remain limited, and authorities have not released additional information as the case continues.
