Santa Maria gang member guilty of murdering Oceano man

February 2, 2026

Angel Ramos-Ramirez

By KAREN VELIE

A San Luis Obispo County jury found a 31-year-old gang member from Santa Maria guilty of murdering an Oceanp man and of a separate knife assault of a juvenile. He is scheduled to be sentenced for both crimes on April 28.

Last year, a San Luis Obispo County jury found Angel Ramos-Ramirez  guilty of the second-degree murder of Daniel Diaz. Ramos-Ramirez stabbed and killed the 20-year-old Oceano man for the benefit of the West Park criminal street gang.

On the morning of June 4, 2022, Ramos-Ramirez was arguing outside a home on the 2000 block of Ocean Street in Oceano with Diaz. Ramos-Ramirez then stabbed Diaz 10 times before fleeing the area.

Shortly before 2 a.m., a 911 caller reported the assault. Deputies arrived to find Diaz suffering from a stab wound. He later died at the scene.

After witnesses identified Ramos-Ramirez as well as his vehicle, CHP officers detained the suspect during a traffic stop on Highway 101 south of Los Alamos.

During the 29-day trial, jurors heard evidence that Ramos-Ramirez stabbed and killed Diaz.

On Jan. 29, Judge Jesse Marino found Ramos-Ramirez also guilty of assault with a deadly weapon in a separate case. The evidence established that Ramos-Ramirez stabbed a teenager in the chest at a party in Nipomo on Sept. 4, 2021, nine months before the murder of Diaz.

“We will aggressively prosecute violent crime in our community. Particularly violent gang crime, which far too often targets our disadvantaged population,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “We remain committed to working closely with our local and regional law enforcement partners to guarantee successful prosecutions and appropriate sentences in cases of gang violence.”