Steve Ruiz has been on the run for months, after the shooting death of fellow Hell's Angel member Steven Tausan. It is alleged that on October 15, 2011, both men attended a funeral for Hell's Angel Chapter President "Jethro" Pettigrew at the Oak Hill Cemetery in San Jose. Pettigrew was slain in Las Vegas by Ernesto Gonzales of a rival gang called Vagos. For unknown reasons, Ruiz and Tausan got involved in a physical altercation when Ruiz pulled out a hand gun and fired several shots.
Although heavily monitored by the police, Ruiz was able to escape capture at the 5,000-person funeral. He was finally tracked down by law enforcement on February 26, 2012, at the Day's Inn Motel in Fremont. Ruiz peacefully surrendered to the police.
No motive has been determined for the homicide and people close to both Ruiz and Tausan say the two were close friends.
Meanwhile, Gonzales is currently waiting for trial in Nevada for the shooting death of Pettigrew. Two other men are in custody as accomplices. One of those men, Cesar Villagrana, a former Hell's Angel has petitioned to be tried separately, believing that a jury would be confused and led to believe that the Hell's Angels operate as a gang in the way that Vagos does. In other words, he argues that the Hell's Angels is simply a motorcycle club and not a criminal gang like Vagos.
It is estimated that the Hell's Angels have more than 2,000 members nationwide.
Source: Associated Press, Opposing Views
