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Suspect in Pismo Beach murder cut his neck, jumped off pier

September 18, 2024

Andrew Rodriguez

By KAREN VELIE

The 34-year-old suspect in last week’s murder of a Pismo Beach bartender left the scene of the crime and drove to Ventura where he allegedly cut his own neck and then jumped off a pier in a suicide attempt.

Andrew Frederick Rodriguez and the murder victim, 39-year-old Jonathan Campbell Perez, were close friends who worked together at Giuseppe’s in Pismo Beach – Rodriguez as a supervisor and Perez as a bartender. On Wednesday evening, the men spent time together at Perez’s home on the 1200 block of Price Street, about a four minute walk from the restaurant.

Shortly after 9 p.m., Rodriguez allegedly stabbed Perez, who died at the scene.

Rodriguez then drove southbound on Highway 101 towards Ventura County where he allegedly cut his neck and then jumped off a pier into the Pacific Ocean. Rodriguez was released from a hospital in Ventura County on Sunday afternoon. His booking photo shows a bandage on the left side of his neck.

Pismo Beach police officers booked Rodriguez into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on a murder charge along with an enhancement for using a deadly weapon. Prosecutors also noted Rodriguez, who lives in Santa Maria with his wife and young child, was convicted of three felonies in 2010.

Regarding an incident on Sept 17, 2009, Rodriguez was arrested and later found guilty of sexual intercourse with an intoxicated victim, sexual penetration of an unconscious victim and one felony count of burglary in 2010.

On Tuesday, San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Rita Federman ordered Rodriguez to remain remanded in jail without bail.

 


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Guiseppis in Pismo employees have had these types of employees for years. I use to go there often on Thursday “Local” night but stopped because of these type of people. The owner doesn’t care.


0

So grateful that the restaurant is checking criminal backgrounds to protect their other employees and customers. (sarcasm) How do you put a guy like this (with sexual crime convictions) on your staff.


7

Anyone who runs a business knows that most employers do not do criminal background checks on their low-level employees. 1) It’s expensive 2) it’s not mandated 3) if it was mandated and employers could not hire people with criminal backgrounds, those criminals would never get jobs and be much more likely to return to a live of crime simply to make a living.


2

I hope the victim gave him those black eyes.


19

What happened to the censorship police demanding this article be taken down? Awful silent. Looks like Joe D finally put a leash on his employees and told them to stop their nonsense and focus on the loss of their loved one


0

How is Joe D doing it? Closed? Tough situation for so many. Hope customers are not asking staff about the situation while being waited on.


1

This article came out just in time. I was just about to take myself to dinner there to get to the bottom of the situation.


-21

As in ask a waiter or waitress what happened? Seriously?

Then what-walk from table to table and tell diners what happened?

Probably best to leave staff alone so they can get through the shift without breaking down.


15

Yup, that sounds like the best tactic. Although I would start by asking the hostess up front and go up the ranks from there….


-10

Sure. I’d wait till I was almost done with my lasagna and about to order dessert before inquiring. I wouldn’t dream of going from table to table sharing the information. That would be tacky.


-1

Why would this story need to be censored?


5

It didn’t need to be censored… numerous people were not happy with the story for their own reasons which had nothing to do with the factual reporting. A number of those people knew the truth of the incident and the individuals involved, and still accused Karen and CCN of making it all up.


5