Murder-for-Hire Suspect Arrested by La Mesa Police Described as 'Do-it-Yourself Type of Guy' by Neighbor

A Spring Valley man has been charged with trying to hire someone to murder the boyfriend of his 19-year-old La Mesa daughter—using a dozen reward fliers posted at Grossmont College, authorities said.

At 9 a.m. Friday, La Mesa police arrested Domingos Jose Oliveira, 49, without resistance at his home in the 10000 block of Roadside Place in Spring Valley, said police Lt. Dan Willis.  Six officers were present for the arrest, he said.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, which patrols unincorporated Spring Valley, was advised of the case but was not involved, Willis said.

Oliveira was booked into County Jail on $250,000 bail, said Steve Walker, a spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office.  His arraignment is set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in East County Superior Court.

Willis said the couple—a 19-year-old woman living in La Mesa and her 33-year-old boyfriend from El Cajon—came to the La Mesa Police Department within the past two weeks to inform police that several posters had been placed on the campus of Grossmont College.

“The suspect allegedly made the ‘Reward’ posters with a photo and name of the daughter’s boyfriend, a 33-year-old sex-offender registrant, and offering to pay anyone $3,000 dollars ‘for the body (of the boyfriend)…dead or alive,’ ” police said.

The contact listed on the flier was a Yahoo email address, Willis said.

About 7:10 a.m. Friday, La Mesa police detectives executed a search warrant at the Roadside Place home, police said.

Willis said the intended victim’s name would likely not be made public for his own protection. The suspect’s daughter is a Grossmont College student, he said. The flier suggested the target also was a Grossmont College student.

Grossmont College spokeswoman Anne Krueger said district security officers were involved in the investigation.

Krueger issued this statement on behalf of the college district:

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District police department was notified after several fliers were found on the Grossmont College campus several weeks ago. The district police contacted the La Mesa Police Department and determined that they had already been notified about the incident.

Privacy regulations prohibit us from saying whether any of the parties involved are Grossmont College students. Any further questions about the case should be directed to the La Mesa Police Department.

Oliveira—5-feet-10 and 305 pounds—was arrested on suspicion of  violating Penal Code section 653f(b), solicitation for murder, police said. 

Oliveira lived in a two-story home at 10106 Roadside Place, according to neighbors.

Vern Howe, a next-door neighbor who has lived in his home for 35 years, said Oliveira has occupied the home for five or six years.

“[He] was fairly quiet, and would keep to himself,” Howe said Friday afternoon.

Howe described their relationship as “not a friendship type of deal. We would talk once in awhile,” but it was mostly pleasantries and small talk.

Howe also said that he knew the daughter in the case, but it was only as a neighbor.  “I would wave to her when I saw her, but I never really spoke to her.”

In terms of Oliveira's actions, Howe described him as “a do-it-yourself type of guy.”

Howe expressed shock upon learning  the charge.

He said that he had never seen Oliveira display any behavior that would indicate he would be involved in this kind of case.

He said the only thing that he ever did out of the ordinary was building a fence on his property, possibly without approval from the Rancho San Diego Association homeowners association.

He thinks the county got involved at some point.

He said he thinks Oliveira has two daughters and a son. He added that he also used to have a wife, “but I believe his wife left some time ago.”

Howe said he thinks Oliveira had his own business, “something to do with candles, I think. He keeps a lot of his business stuff in his back yard.”

Howe said that he saw police Friday morning at Oliveira’s residence and didn’t really know what was going on.

He said the authorities were in unmarked cars, not patrol cars, and wore police vests. When he asked what was going on, a female officer told him they are “following up on an investigation.” He did not see Oliveira get arrested.

That offense carries a maximum penalty of nine years in prison. The suspect was later booked into County Jail, where his date of birth was listed as Nov. 21, 1961.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Crime Stoppers’ anonymous toll-free tip line 888-580-TIPS (sdcrimestoppers.com).