2 Teens, 1 Adult Arrested in Connection to Stabbing Death of Hemet Teen

Three people-- two of them juveniles-- have been arrested in connection to the stabbing death of a 16-year-old Hemet boy, sheriff's officials announced Thursday.

"...Investigators from the Sheriff's Central Homicide Unit and the Hemet Sheriff's Station, with the assistance of the Multi-Agency Gang Task Force, identified and arrested two Hispanic male juveniles and one Hispanic male adult in this case," according to Corporal Angel Ramos of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Among those arrested is a 15-year-old boy who is now booked in juvenile hall on murder charges, Ramos said.

Another teen, a 17-year-old, was also booked into juvenile hall for murder, the corporal added.

The third suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Francisco Zavala, who was jailed at the Murrieta jail without the possibility of bail as of Thursday night, according to online jail records.

Police are still asking for help in their investigation of the murder of 16-year-old Eric Ronald Sargeant Jr.

According to Riverside County Sheriff's Sergeant Jim Erickson, Sargeant died Monday night at the hospital following an attack by a group of people.

"Witnesses at the scene stated they saw three or four Hispanic male juveniles dressed in dark clothing assault the victim and flee through a vacant field northwest of the location," Erickson said on Tuesday.

Erickson said the assault happened around 4:45 p.m. Monday near the intersection of Acacia Avenue and Cherrywood Drive, in East Hemet. 

Sargeant was airlifted to the hospital right away, and listed in "critical but stable condition" at first.  However, he "succumbed to his injuries at the hospital about 10:15 p.m.," according to Erickson.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Investigator Wortman from the Central Homicide Unit at (760) 393 - 3500 or Investigator Robertson from the Hemet Station at (951) 791-3400 or Sheriff's Dispatch at (951) 776-1099.

Citizens may also submit an anonymous tip using the Sheriff's Homicide Tipline online form.