Cold Case Closure: Manuel Vasquez Sentenced for 1998 Murder of Ventura Restaurateur
On June 13, 1998, a dramatic crime unfolded in Southern California when two young men, acting under the directive of a local poker club owner, invaded the upscale residence of restaurateur Felipe Arambula.
The orchestrator of this ill-fated plan, Jose Alberto Vasquez, allegedly hired the duo to kidnap Arambula, the proprietor of Taqueria Vallarta in downtown Ventura, with the intention of extorting money related to an alleged debt.
However, the kidnapping scheme quickly deteriorated. Upon returning home, Arambula discovered Manuel Vasquez, 20, and William David Hampton Jr., 19, at his residence, holding his wife and young children. A violent confrontation erupted, resulting in the fatal shooting of Arambula. Following the incident, both assailants fled the scene, according to reports from The Times.
Subsequent legal proceedings saw Hampton and the poker club owner each receiving life sentences without the possibility of parole in 1999, after being apprehended. Manuel Vasquez, however, absconded from the country, evading capture for many years. Importantly, the two Vasquez individuals are not related.
Fast forward to recent developments, and Manuel Vasquez has been located and arrested. Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced on Monday that Vasquez, now 48 years old, received a sentence of 25 years to life in state prison for Arambula’s murder, having pled guilty to first-degree murder on September 30.
According to the district attorney’s office, Manuel Vasquez fled to Mexico prior to any formal charges being filed and remained a fugitive until his apprehension in 2023. He was extradited back to Ventura County in April 2025.
Vasquez’s attorney, Christopher Chaney, commented on the case, stating that his client has taken responsibility for his involvement in the crime and has expressed heartfelt remorse for the suffering caused to the Arambula family. “Nothing can undo what Mr. Arambula’s family has lost,” Chaney remarked, emphasizing a hope that the resolution would provide some solace to the bereaved family.
Court filings indicate that Vasquez will be required to pay restitution to several members of Arambula’s family, further acknowledging the lasting impact of the crime.
Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick, part of the Ventura County district attorney’s Major Crimes Homicide Unit, expressed admiration for the victim’s family, who maintained their faith in the justice process despite the nearly three-decade-long wait for accountability. “The victim’s family never wavered in their belief that one day all the men responsible for the victim’s murder would be successfully prosecuted,” Barrick stated.
Chief Editor of Quincy City Beat — Quincy, MA's independent investigative newspaper covering Greater Boston and the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts with fearless public accountability and free access for all readers.
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