Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 08/28/2009

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Terry Menshek - (707) 565-3098 Media Spokesperson, Deputy District Attorney Tashawn Sanders

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

GUILTY PLEA IN 2006 KNIFE ATTACK

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that on August 27, 2009, Gibb Theopolis Olivarez, Jr. entered no contest pleas for the stabbing of Salvatore Cucci and Nathaniel Reifers in Petaluma. Olivarez pleaded no contest to one count of Voluntary Manslaughter of Mr. Reifers, admitting an enhancement for personal use of a weapon, and one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon, admitting that he personally inflicted great bodily injury on Mr. Cucci.

On December 17, 2006, Olivarez, approached a group of people behind Gale’s Central Club around closing time. Olivarez asked Mr. Cucci to purchase some alcohol for him. Mr. Cucci initially agreed but then changed his mind. Olivarez then decided to attack Mr. Cucci with a knife. Mr. Cucci was stabbed twice before witnesses were able to intervene. Olivarez fled down Water Street as he was followed by friends of Mr. Cucci who sought to detain him. When Olivarez was caught by Mr. Reifers, Olivarez stabbed him in the chest. Mr. Reifers died within minutes.

Olivarez, who was 16 years old at the time, was arrested shortly thereafter and is being prosecuted as an adult. He faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in state prison. Sentencing will be held on November 19 at 1:30 p.m. before the Honorable Kenneth Gnoss.

The prosecution was led by Deputy District Attorney Anne Masterson. District Attorney Investigator Brian Davis assisted with the prosecution. The lead detective on the case was Detective Mike Pierre of the Petaluma Police Department.