Judge Finds Sufficient Evidence to Hold Abel Santiago to Answer on Murder and Conspiracy Charges in the Killing of Santa Maria Man

Author: District Attorney
Date: 7/8/2026 2:31 PM

District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that Abel Santiago (23) was held to answer on all charges, including murder and conspiracy to commit murder, in the November 2025 shooting death of Margarito Ventura Ventura.

District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Crystal Seiler has found sufficient evidence to hold Abel Santiago (DOB 11/01/2002) to answer on charges of murder (Penal Code § 187(a)), conspiracy to commit murder (Penal Code § 182), destroying or concealing evidence (Penal Code § 135), and being an accessory after the fact (Penal Code § 32). In holding the defendant to answer on the murder charge, Judge Seiler found the evidence supported both co-conspirator and aider-and-abettor theories of liability.

Following the preliminary hearing, the evidence established that on November 13, 2025, Abel Santiago and his brother, Francisco Santiago, picked up the victim, Margarito Ventura Ventura in Santa Maria. Armed with a firearm, the brothers drove the victim through Santa Maria in a route that avoided more than 150 license-plate-reading cameras, then traveled northbound on Highway 101 into San Luis Obispo County, where the victim's primary cell phone activity ceased. The brothers took the victim east on Highway 166, and at Suey Creek Road the victim was removed from the vehicle and shot several times.

The evidence further established that the Santiago brothers removed a second cell phone from the victim and fled to Nipomo, where they disposed of it. A passerby who arrived after the brothers had fled found the victim in the roadway and attempted to render aid, but the victim died of his wounds at the scene.

Following the murder, Abel Santiago destroyed evidence of the shooting, purchased a new cell phone, and ultimately attempted to flee the county. A search of his cell phone indicated he was in the process of creating a fictitious identity. Law enforcement stopped Abel Santiago before he could leave, and he was arrested and interviewed. Abel Santiago admitted to bringing the firearm and brandishing it at the victim inside the vehicle but claimed his brother, Francisco Santiago, fired the fatal shots.

A preliminary hearing is a court proceeding in which a judge determines whether there is sufficient evidence, known as probable cause, to require a defendant to stand trial. Probable cause exists when the evidence establishes a strong suspicion that a crime was committed and that the defendant committed it. When the judge finds enough proof, the defendant is held to answer, and the case proceeds on an Information.

"This defendant participated in the calculated and cold-blooded killing of a man who was lured, driven to a remote location, and executed," said District Attorney Dan Dow. " Today's ruling affirms there is sufficient evidence for these serious charges to be heard in court. I want to thank the California Highway Patrol for their meticulous investigative work, which pieced together a complex, circumstantial case and brought this defendant to justice. We remain committed to securing justice for Mr. Ventura Ventura and his family."

The victim's co-defendant, Francisco Santiago, fled San Luis Obispo County following the murder and remains at large. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 805-549-STOP (7867) or online at the San Luis Obispo County Crime Stoppers Website. Tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward.

Abel Santiago remains in custody at the San Luis Obispo County Jail. He is scheduled to return to court on August 3, 2026, in Department 9 of the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court for arraignment on the criminal Information.

This case was investigated by the Coastal Division of the California Highway Patrol's Investigative Services Unit, which used cell phone location data and surveillance footage from businesses in the Santa Maria area to develop the case and identify the Santiago brothers as suspects. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Hunter Starr. Victim Witness services have been provided by Victim Advocate Gabriela Puga and Witness Coordinators Kellie Navarro and Eloiza Basinger.

It is important to note the charges described in this press release are allegations only. All defendants are legally presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Here is a copy of the defendant's booking photo. Here is a copy of the charging document.

Members of the media may contact Assistant District Attorney Eric J. Dobroth at 805-781-5819 for additional information.
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