San Jose Police Lieutenant Alan Cavallo has told Bay Area reporters that Steve Ruiz (above), the San Jose Hells Angel who shot and killed another Angel at a Hells Angel funeral last Saturday is still alive and on the run.
Police accuse Ruiz of shooting Santa Cruz charter Sergeant-at-Arms Steve Tausan after Tausan knocked Ruiz down at the funeral for San Jose charter President Jeffrey “Jethro” Pettigrew at Oak Hill cemetery in San Jose. Ruiz shot Tausan twice in the torso. Tausan died about 45 minutes later at a nearby hospital. An unconfirmed source told The Aging Rebel that police outside the cemetery delayed Tausan’s transport and that the delay was deliberate and malicious.
Persona Non Grata
After the shooting Ruiz was stripped of his club’s colors and thrown into a car. Police suspected he had been killed by his former club brothers and exhumed Pettigrew’s casket while searching for Ruiz’ body. Police have accused mourners at the funeral of sanitizing the crime scene by emptying beer coolers over it. Police found Ruiz’ motorcycle at the cemetery.Police told both the San Jose Mercury News and the San Francisco Chronicle that Ruiz is “alive and actively evading law enforcement.” The Chronicle reported that police “have proof that Ruiz is alive and on the run.” That paper also reported that Ruiz has two black eyes and other facial injuries “consistent with being in a fight.”
Police said Ruiz is travelling in a gold or pewter Chevrolet Suburban with a woman named Christel Renee Trujillo. The Chronicle reported that the woman also uses the name Christel Renee Ferguson and that her life “is now in danger.” Police did not explain why she is now endangered.
Police speculated that Ruiz may be trying to seek solace with relatives and friends in either New York or Arizona.
