A body was found dumped off State Route 9 in Santa Cruz County on April 11, 2023.
Google Street ViewTwo people, one of them a Bay Area preschool teacher, have been arrested on suspicion of killing a man found dead along a highway in Santa Cruz.
On April 11, a man’s body was found rolled down a hill off State Route 9, a highway that runs through Santa Cruz County near Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The Santa Cruz County coroner identified the man as Oliver Waterfall, 24, of San Jose, who had been killed by a gunshot.
“Over the past two weeks, detectives have been conducting interviews and reviewing surveillance footage related to the case,” the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. On Wednesday, Diana Ornelas, 22, and Dennis Novoa, 27, were arrested in connection with the killing. The sheriff’s office said detectives believe the killing was “personal” in nature.
Ornelas was arrested while working at the Children’s Center of the Stanford Community, a preschool on the Stanford campus for university faculty, students and staff. According to an email to families obtained by the Stanford Daily, Ornelas was arrested “at naptime” away from the children. A university spokesperson said Ornelas is no longer employed by the school.
Ornelas, who lives in Santa Clara, and Novoa, who lives in San Jose, are being held without bail until their next court appearance on May 17. They both face first-degree murder charges.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Santa Cruz detectives at 831-454-7702.
