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Vets Home murder linked to taxi ride from downtown Napa
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CommentNapa County investigators have released a composite sketch of the man wanted for questioning in the murder of a popular long-time security officer at the Veterans Home in Yountville.
The sketch is based on a description offered by at least one witness who saw the suspect hail a cab in Napa about an hour before security officer Manuel Reyes, 58, was found dead.
The sketch is based on a description offered by at least one witness who saw the suspect hail a cab in Napa about an hour before security officer Manuel Reyes, 58, was found dead.
The body of Reyes, of Napa, was discovered by a passing motorist around 12:30 a.m., Monday, on Dry Creek Road. The motorist saw Reyes' security car wrapped around a tree and called paramedics.
When medical crews arrived, they found Reyes' body lying on the ground several feet from his vehicle. After discovering that Reyes' fatal wounds were not caused by injuries suffered in the crash, sheriff's detectives were called and began a homicide investigation.
When medical crews arrived, they found Reyes' body lying on the ground several feet from his vehicle. After discovering that Reyes' fatal wounds were not caused by injuries suffered in the crash, sheriff's detectives were called and began a homicide investigation.
Sheriff's Capt. Mike Loughran did not release the cause of Reyes' death pending autopsy results. The autopsy was performed on Tuesday.
Reyes, who was employed by the Veterans Home for 39 years, was working his shift in the guard shack on California Drive on the evening he was killed, detectives said.
Reyes, who was employed by the Veterans Home for 39 years, was working his shift in the guard shack on California Drive on the evening he was killed, detectives said.
The Hispanic male that investigators are looking for hailed a Yellow Cab van around 11:30 p.m. Sunday in front of Downtown Joe's restaurant on Main Street in Napa.
"To our knowledge, the man wanted a ride to Yountville," Loughran said.
Because the man spoke Spanish and the cab driver did not, the cab driver had problems understanding exactly where the man wanted to go, he said.
The cab driver drove to the guard shack at the Veterans Home looking for help, and Reyes, who is bilingual, offered to assist in translation, Loughran said.
Reyes was able to learn where the man wanted to go and offered to give him a ride in his security vehicle.
Loughran said he doesn't know if the man and Reyes knew each other.
Exactly what happened after the cab left the Veterans Home remains a mystery. Reyes' body was discovered about an hour later and 10 miles from the Home.
Investigators say the Hispanic male may have suffered a head wound. He is described as about 21, 5-foot-6, with a medium build and wearing a tan ball cap, a light-colored shirt and very baggy light-colored blue jeans.
Anyone who may have seen an individual matching this description on Sunday night in downtown Napa or Monday morning in the Dry Creek/Trinity Road area is asked to call sheriff's detectives at 253-4591.
Meanwhile as detectives labor to solve the homicide, Reyes' family and friends struggle to come to terms with their loss.
Reyes' brother, Larry Reyes, has owned and operated Larry's Barber Shop in Yountville for about four years.
Reyes' nephew, Ernie Lugo, 37, was closing up shop for the day when contacted by the Register on Tuesday afternoon.
"My uncle Manny was just a great guy. He loved to fish. When I was a kid, he would take me fishing all the time," Lugo said. "He loved to bowl, golf ... Manny was always keeping busy. And he would do anything for you. I remember how he was always there for anyone that needed him, no matter what."
Lugo said Reyes' death has been devastating for the family.
"We are all really broken up about what has happened," Lugo said. "It makes no sense."
Reyes' co-workers, many of whom worked with him for as long as 35 years, also are feeling their loss.
"Manny was a beautiful person, always smiling and willing to help anyone he could," said fellow Veterans Home employee Jo Bess, vice president of the local labor council.
"He always had a kind word. I've never seen him mad or angry and I've worked here since 1978. There will never be another special person like Manny Reyes, who was special in our hearts. All we have are his good memories, and there won't be anybody who can ever have bad memories of him.
"Everyone up here is very sad right now. It's like a cloud," said Bess.
A 1963 graduate of Napa High School, Reyes started working at the Home as a cook in 1964 and worked his way up the ranks to security officer by 1980.
Reyes, who grew up in Napa, did not have any children, according to family members.
Marsha Dorgan can be reached at 256-2214 or mdorgan@napanews.com
Executive editor Doug Ernst contributed to this story.
"To our knowledge, the man wanted a ride to Yountville," Loughran said.
Because the man spoke Spanish and the cab driver did not, the cab driver had problems understanding exactly where the man wanted to go, he said.
The cab driver drove to the guard shack at the Veterans Home looking for help, and Reyes, who is bilingual, offered to assist in translation, Loughran said.
Reyes was able to learn where the man wanted to go and offered to give him a ride in his security vehicle.
Loughran said he doesn't know if the man and Reyes knew each other.
Exactly what happened after the cab left the Veterans Home remains a mystery. Reyes' body was discovered about an hour later and 10 miles from the Home.
Investigators say the Hispanic male may have suffered a head wound. He is described as about 21, 5-foot-6, with a medium build and wearing a tan ball cap, a light-colored shirt and very baggy light-colored blue jeans.
Anyone who may have seen an individual matching this description on Sunday night in downtown Napa or Monday morning in the Dry Creek/Trinity Road area is asked to call sheriff's detectives at 253-4591.
Meanwhile as detectives labor to solve the homicide, Reyes' family and friends struggle to come to terms with their loss.
Reyes' brother, Larry Reyes, has owned and operated Larry's Barber Shop in Yountville for about four years.
Reyes' nephew, Ernie Lugo, 37, was closing up shop for the day when contacted by the Register on Tuesday afternoon.
"My uncle Manny was just a great guy. He loved to fish. When I was a kid, he would take me fishing all the time," Lugo said. "He loved to bowl, golf ... Manny was always keeping busy. And he would do anything for you. I remember how he was always there for anyone that needed him, no matter what."
Lugo said Reyes' death has been devastating for the family.
"We are all really broken up about what has happened," Lugo said. "It makes no sense."
Reyes' co-workers, many of whom worked with him for as long as 35 years, also are feeling their loss.
"Manny was a beautiful person, always smiling and willing to help anyone he could," said fellow Veterans Home employee Jo Bess, vice president of the local labor council.
"He always had a kind word. I've never seen him mad or angry and I've worked here since 1978. There will never be another special person like Manny Reyes, who was special in our hearts. All we have are his good memories, and there won't be anybody who can ever have bad memories of him.
"Everyone up here is very sad right now. It's like a cloud," said Bess.
A 1963 graduate of Napa High School, Reyes started working at the Home as a cook in 1964 and worked his way up the ranks to security officer by 1980.
Reyes, who grew up in Napa, did not have any children, according to family members.
Marsha Dorgan can be reached at 256-2214 or mdorgan@napanews.com
Executive editor Doug Ernst contributed to this story.
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