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Morgan Hill
December 4, 2024

Hindsight 2019: Shootings shocked Morgan Hill

In 2019, Morgan Hill and South County were rocked by two horrific mass shootings that resulted in seven deaths and more than a dozen people injured.

Two suspects sought in Nov. 9 shooting

Morgan Hill police are looking for two suspects involved in a shooting that left a victim injured early Saturday morning, according to authorities.

Sales rise after move to Morgan Hill

In what has become the go-to rags-to-riches Silicon Valley story, one of Morgan Hill's fastest growing companies started in a garage. From those humble beginnings in San Jose, Golden State Assembly has grown to employ more than 500 people. The company this year expects to exceed $250 million in sales, and they plan to break ground on an expansion of their property on Butterfield Boulevard within months.

Cody Flores murderer to spend at least 15 years in prison

Chase Benoit, the convicted murderer who stabbed Morgan Hill resident Cody Flores to death in 2015, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the crime last week, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney David Pandori.Benoit, 22 of Morgan Hill, was sentenced at a hearing at the Hall of Justice in San Jose May 12. He was convicted March 10, following a two-month jury trial, of second degree murder and personal use of a knife for stabbing Flores during a house party in east Morgan Hill May 31, 2015.Benoit will serve the sentence for murder “consecutive to one year prison for use of knife in the murder of Cody Flores,” Pandori added.Benoit testified during the trial that he alone killed Flores, 23, with a knife outside the party on East Main Avenue. He claimed he killed him out fear for his own life as the two had a long-standing dispute going back to 2011, when Flores stabbed Benoit’s brother during a fight.Benoit stabbed Flores at least 14 times with the knife, after chasing him through a dark field between East Main and Diana avenues, according to law enforcement authorities and other witnesses who testified during the trial.Flores died at the hospital shortly after the stabbing.While the DA’s office previously charged Spencer Smith, also 22 of Morgan Hill, with the murder of Flores, the same jury found him not guilty of the crime March 10. He was tried in the same courtroom as Benoit.Smith, a longtime friend of Benoit’s, previously pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. He was also sentenced May 12, to one year in county jail, Pandori said. He received credit for time served while awaiting trial for the murder charge, and was released after the May 12 hearing.Smith’s firearm charges are not directly related to the stabbing death of Flores. The gun was found in a backpack he dropped off at the home of Shyann Surber, who hosted the May 31, 2015 party. He left the backpack at the home earlier that evening.

Police blotter: Auto burglaries, grand theft

A witness observed about five or six cars spinning doughnuts and racing in the Target parking lot.

Council says ‘no’ to cannabis business

The Morgan Hill City Council narrowly rejected a proposal to allow cannabis businesses to open up shop within the city limits.

Property vs. traffic on High Speed Rail route

The state staff-recommended High Speed Rail alignment through Morgan Hill may be the least invasive for private properties, but city officials remain concerned about the proposed system’s impact on local vehicle traffic.

Council supports tribe, opposes mine proposal

Following a demonstration outside City Hall led by area Amah Mutsun tribal members and their supporters, the Morgan Hill City Council on Jan. 15 unanimously approved a resolution urging county officials to deny a permit for a mine proposed on one of the tribe’s most significant cultural and spiritual sites.

The myths of mushrooms

Inside the dimly lit room, No. 13, the air is a chilling 50-something degrees. The slightly damp air makes no difference to the tiny flies that are attracted to the purple fly zapper in the entrance, with the occasional “zzzz” sound. Rows and rows of about 10-foot-high boxed containers of a brown compost are sprouting something white on one side of the room, something slightly brown and large on the other. These are one of Morgan Hill’s most prized commodities: mushrooms.

MHPD: Massage parlor sting leads to three arrests

Morgan Hill police arrested three women on suspicion of prostitution during a citywide undercover operation at local massage parlors, according to authorities.According to a press release from MHPD, arrested Sept. 19 as a result of the sting were Chahua Liu, 39, at Angel Day Spa Massage on the 17600 block of Monterey Road; Yufend Tan, 50, at Spring Spa on the zero block of East Main Avenue; and Phuong Pham, 39, at Aha Spa, on the 17000 block of Condit Road.The three suspects were cited at the scenes of their respective arrests, on suspicion of misdemeanor prostitution, according to MHPD Sgt. Carson Thomas.“While initial arrests are just the beginning of the lengthy process to permanently combat this ongoing neighborhood nuisance, the Morgan Hill Police Department continues to respond to the community in targeting issues that can be addressed by law enforcement efforts,” reads the press release.Thomas added, “Prostitution is not a victimless crime and (MHPD) will continue to investigate any leads in an attempt to uncover any connection between business, its owners or associates with organized crime or human trafficking.”Anyone with information regarding this case or any other information relating to prostitution in town can contact MHPD Det. Greg Dini (669) 253-4965.

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