GILROY—With three suspects accused of the Feb. 16 slaying and robbery of Gilroy’s Robert Heiser behind bars, one piece of the puzzle remains missing. Isabella Aurora Chaidez, a 17-year-old San Jose woman wanted in connection to his murder and at least one other violent crime in the Bay area, is still on the lam, according to Gilroy police.
Chaidez was seen on surveillance camera footage buying items at a convenience store using a credit card of Heiser’s—after he was already found dead. Gabriela Ortiz, 19, also of San Jose, was also seen on that footage shopping with the card and was arrested Feb. 20 in connection with the 54-year-old Gilroy man’s death.
Ortiz was the first suspect brought into custody and charged with the crime. Two others, Gerardo Cisneros and Rodrigo Bejarano, 20 and 22 respectively, also of San Jose, were already in custody on unrelated offenses when they were charged with Heiser’s murder.
But Chaidez remains on the loose and she is wanted in connection with the Gilroy murder and a separate Bay area assault and robbery that police say involved an unknown number of men who held down, tied up and beat on the male victim.
“We’re hoping somebody out there sees (Chaidez) and can point us in the right direction,” Gilroy Police Department Sgt. Royce Heath told the Dispatch this week. “So far, we have not seen her or heard anything about her. But we’re still actively looking for her.”
Fremont police say Chaidez is wanted in connection with a Feb. 7 robbery and assault. In that separate case, the male victim called Chaidez after seeing her listed on a prostitution website as “Krissy,” invited her to her house and an unknown number of men beat him unconscious before robbing him, according to a representative with the Fremont Police Department. The victim in that case survived, however.
In the Gilroy slaying, investigators say they believe all four suspects are part of a “criminal street gang” and killed Heiser with “malice and forethought,” according to charging documents filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
The two male suspects are alleged to have robbed the Gilroy man of unspecified electronics, his wallet and keys “by means of force and fear,” according to the criminal complaint filed by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Heiser was pronounced dead by emergency personnel in his home on the 1400 block of Bay Tree Drive around 3 a.m. Feb. 16 after a neighbor called police about loud noises and barking dogs, according to the GPD. Heiser had injuries to his upper body resulting from blunt force trauma.
All three suspects currently in custody for the Heiser homicide case are being held at Santa Clara County Jail. The two male suspects, Cisneros and Bejarano, are scheduled to submit pleas to the charged June 9 in Dept. 106 at the Morgan Hill Superior Courthouse, according to a representative from the DA’s Office. Ortiz has a plea hearing set for June 2.
A trial date has not yet been set, office spokesperson Cynthia Sumida told the Dispatch.
That helps investigators as they attempt to locate and bring in Chaidez, according to Heath.
“I’m hopeful that before that case actually gets rolling we can say we have that fourth person and custody and can go from there. But so far we have nothing on (Chaidez),” the police sergeant said.
Gilroy police are urging anyone who sees Chaidez or has information on her whereabouts or the case in general to call the GPD’s anonymous tip line at (408) 846-0330 or call the department’s non-emergency line at (408) 846-0350 and ask for Detective Eric Cryar.
