Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: 800-block of Avenida De Las Flores, Thousand Oaks, Ca.
Date & Time/ RB#: Dec. 5, 2008 / 9:09 p.m. / 08-32871
Unit Responsible: Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit

Victims, Address, Age:
Sarafin Lucio, Thousand Oaks, 24
Rubin Ambriz, Thousand Oaks, 23

Investigators have released the names of two men who were hospitalized Friday night after a confrontation left one stabbed and the other severely beaten during a melee.

Sheriff’s investigators have learned that Sarafin Lucio and Rubin Ambriz have been involved in an ongoing dispute since their childhood years in Mexico. Within the past three years, both men moved to the same neighborhood in Thousand Oaks, and have continued their long-running feud.

The situation escalated when Ambriz went to Lucio’s home Friday night with a group of men. The ensuing confrontation left Lucio hospitalized in serious condition with multiple stab wounds, and Ambriz hospitalized with major head injuries. Both men remain in intensive care at Los Robles Regional Medical Center, but are expected to survive their injuries.

Initially, investigators believed the incident was gang related, based on information received soon after the assault. However, after interviewing witnesses, they determined that the long-running feud between the two men was the catalyst for the assault.

The investigation is continuing.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at (805) 494-TALK (Thousand Oaks / Moorpark) or (805) 385-TALK (Camarillo / Oxnard / Port Hueneme).